Jobs Take Center Stage in Amazon Negotions

The town council’s finance committee voted to recommend approval of Amazon’s request for a tax abatement Tuesday night, but stopped short of recommending a specific amount after a push to secure employment for Windsor residents complicated negotiations.

Residents and union representatives spoke in favor of requiring Amazon to use local labor during construction and local workers for employment, but the push from the town was led by Committee Chair Al Simon, who said following the meeting that he applied pressure on Amazon Tuesday night because he wants jobs for Windsor residents and is interested in what Amazon is able to offer.

Amazon Director of Economic Development Mike Grella said Tuesday the company could not guarantee a certain percentage of the 380 jobs created by its fulfillment center proposal would go to Windsor residents, and, he added, Amazon reserves the right to hire the best employees for its position vacancies.

Grella did, however, agree to speak with his superiors regarding the possibility of efforts to increase the likelihood Windsor residents will be employed at the proposed fulfillment center after Simon asked if a guarantee could be made in exchange for a 5-percent increase in the abatement amount to be considered by the council.

Amazon is seeking a 5-year tax abatement averaging 60 percent.

If the 60-percent tax break is approved, Town Manager Peter Souza said, Amazon would save $3.9 million on its $101 million project, which would be built on Day Hill Road.

The town currently collects $6,000 annually on the land Amazon has proposed to develop — land owned by a Griffin Land subsidiary. In the first year of the abatement period, Windsor would collect over $1 million.

Over the five-year abatement period, Windsor would receive $6.2 million in taxes, and will collect just over $12 million on the property after ten years, according to Souza.

The abatement will likely be considered by the town council, which has the ability to approve an abatement and adjust the amounts and any requirements as it sees fit, at its October 21 meeting.

The two votes in favor of the abatement recommendation came from committee members Randy McKenney (D) and Donald Jepsen (R)

All of the 380 jobs created by the fulfillment center’s construction will be full-time employees, Grella said. The bulk of those employees will earn $12.50 per hour during 10-hour work shifts, and receive full benefits, a 401k plan with contributions matched by Amazon at 50 percent and company stock awards.