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WEBVTT THE STATE IS LOOKING TO FURTHERENTICE AMAZON.>> YOU MUST LOWER AMAZON TO THESECOND QUARTRS.BUT THE PROPOSA NEEDS TO HAVEEXPLICIT CRITERIA.THE CITIES EDGE MAY BE TIMELY.THE MAYOR SAYS SOME MAKING ROOMFOR AMAZON IS EASY TO DO.>> IT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TOTHE HIGHWAY, RAIL AND AIRPORT.WE ARE BISECTED BY IDENTIFIED.PORT COVINGTON IS NEAR OURAIRPORT AND IT IS TO MINUTESFROM THE NORTHEAST REGION OF THEAMTRAK LINE.WHAT IS MISSING IS FINANCIALINCENTIVES.BEING OFFERED IS THE ENTICEMENT.>> WHAT FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AREIN THIS?>> I AM NOT REVIEWINGEVERYTHING.>> WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYBODYA HEADS UP.IT DEPENDS WILL BALTIMORE ISABOUT.>> THE CORPORATE TAX RATE IDETERMINED.THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX RATE IS2.2%.THIS WORKING AT AMAZON DO NOTPAY STATE OR LOCAL INCOME TAXES.THE GOVERNOR ISSUED A STATEMENTON THE STATE FINANCIALINCENTIVES.BEING PUT FORTH BY THEADMINISTRATION.WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BEEXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.>> THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE OFWORKING TOGETHER.>> THE MAYOR WRITES IN OUR COVERLETTER ONLY A COU THE CITYWILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR AMAZON'SRESPONSE.OFFICIALS SAY AT THE START OFTHE SWEEPSTAKES THEY WILL MAKE A

Advertisement Baltimore officially submits bid for Amazon's HQ2 Details of incentive package not made public

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After weeks of preparation, Mayor Catherine Pugh signed and submitted a bid for Baltimore to serve as the new home for Amazon's second headquarters.Wednesday's bid-signing ceremony was big on Baltimore's selling points; however, critically missing were details regarding the incentive package the state is offering to further entice Amazon to come to Maryland.When asked what kind of financial incentives are in the request for proposal, Pugh said, "I'm not revealing everything that is in this proposal. We don't want to give anybody a heads up in terms of what Baltimore is offering."The question is relevant because Maryland taxes are high. The corporate tax rate is 8.75 percent. State income taxes are high with a top bracket of 5.75 percent. The Baltimore City personal income tax rate is 3.2 percent.Those working at Amazon's Seattle headquarters don't pay state or local income taxes.Gov. Larry Hogan issued a statement without providing details on the state's financial incentives, saying, "The incentive package being put forward by the administration will be the largest in state history, and we are confident that it will be extremely competitive.""This is a testament to the partnership that the governor and the mayor have of working together," said Keiffer Mitchell, an aide to the governor.City officials believe the proposal more than satisfies Amazon's explicit criteria for HQ2, and the city's edge may be timing. The Port Covington area is already shovel-ready, so making room for Amazon is very easy to do, the mayor said."It is easy, accessible to the highway, rail and the airport. As you know, we are bisected by Interstate 95. Port Covington is 10 minutes from our great Thurgood Marshall Airport and 10 minutes from the Northeast Regional Amtrak line.The mayor wrote in her cover letter that only at Baltimore City's Port Covington can Amazon transform a major U.S. city, enact generational change and do it on their own terms.The bid deadline is Thursday. The city will then have to wait for Amazon's response. Amazon officials said at the start of the sweepstakes that they will make a decision within six months.