Amazon to Create 3,000 Jobs in Florida
By Matt O'Hern // June 14, 2013
AMAZON TO INVEST $300 MILLION ON NEW FACILITIES
ABOVE VIDEO: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says he supports federal legislation requiring online companies to collect and pay sales tax to states. Amazon announced it will be create more than 3,000 full time jobs with benefits and more than $300 million in investment in Florida by the end of 2016. Brevard County may directly benefit from the new jobs, but the sites have yet to be determined
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Florida Governor Rick Scott and Amazon announced Amazon’s proposal to create more than 3,000 full time jobs with benefits and more than $300 million in investment in Florida by the end of 2016.
Governor Scott reversed his initial decision to block Amazon’s expansion because Floridians would have to pay sales tax on Amazon purchases. According to the announcement yesterday, Amazon will “begin collecting Florida sales tax at such time as it is required under current Florida law.”
Any business that has a location in Florida collects sales tax through an online purchase. Once Amazon opens Florida facilities, Amazon will collect the standard 6% sales tax from Florida shoppers. With the groundwork for a return on taxpayer investment in place, Governor Scott explained how Amazon will work with Florida’s economic development team.
“Amazon’s commitment to create more than 3,000 new jobs in Florida is further proof that we’ve turned our economy around,” Scott said. “Amazon will continue to work with Enterprise Florida on its ongoing projects which will include a return on any taxpayer investment, and we look forward to the company’s announcements as it chooses locations and creates jobs in Florida.”
Amazon vice president of global public policy Paul Misener said Amazon will comply with any federal law that requires implentation of an online state sales tax.
“We thank Governor Scott for his commitment to creating jobs in Florida,” Misener said. “We propose to create more than 3,000 new jobs and over $300 million in investment in Florida, while we work toward enactment of the federal Marketplace Fairness Act, which will protect states’ rights to make their own revenue policy choices.”
READER POLL : ARE YOU GLAD TO SEE 3,000 NEW JOBS IN FLORIDA OR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE NO ONLINE STATE SALES TAX FOR SHOPPING ON AMAZON.COM? COMMENT BELOW
