GOV. RALPH Northam’s recent announcement of plans for changes in Virginia’s community college system raises hope that Amazon’s much-hyped decision to build one of two additional headquarters — dubbed HQ2 — in Northern Virginia really could have benefits for the entire state.
That was the idea when state leaders offered substantial subsidies and investments as their part of the “partnership” that will bring Amazon and its expected thousands of new jobs, investments and tax dollars to the state. Virginia and the National Landing area near Washington, D.C., as well as New York and the Long Island City area of Queens, will be spending an estimated $2.4 billion on the deal. It’s estimated that Virginia will be spending about $22,000 for each new job Amazon is expected to create.
