New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo takes revenge on the state board accused of imperiling Amazon’s New York City headquarters (AMZN)

Associated Press

• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is cracking down on the state board that has been blamed for imperiling Amazon’s New York City headquarters, HQ2. 
• Amazon announced it would cancel its New York headquarters just days after an Amazon critic was nominated to the board. 
• The board’s approval was required for some aspects of the Amazon deal.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is cracking down on the state board that may have imperiled Amazon’s New York City headquarters. 

Cuomo added a provision to the state budget, which the legislature passed early Monday, that gives him greater control over the Public Authorities Control Board, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

The board’s approval was required for some aspects of the Amazon deal, which promised up to $3 billion in state incentives to Amazon for building its new headquarters in Long Island City.

Amazon abruptly cancelled plans for its New York headquarters in February, before the board ever got a chance to review the deal. 

Read more: Read the letter New York leaders sent to Jeff Bezos begging Amazon to come back

The company’s decision came just days after an Amazon critic, New York state Sen. Mike Gianaris, was nominated to the board.

A source told Recode that this nomination played a role in Amazon’s decision to pull out of New York. 

Now Cuomo, who has called the failed Amazon deal the "greatest tragedy" of his tenure, is tightening his grip on the board.

The Public Authorities Control Board board is charged with determining whether there is sufficient funding for projects like the Amazon deal, and it may only approve projects if funding is available. Unanimous approval from all members of the board is required.

Cuomo’s new provision prohibits board members from blocking a deal for any reason other than the availability of funding, and gives the governor the power to remove members who threaten to break that rule. 

"You can’t come and say, ‘I don’t like Amazon,’" Cuomo said, according to the Journal.

• Read more about Amazon’s decision to pull HQ2 from New York:
• ‘We shouldn’t be inviting bullies to our neighborhood’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defends her criticism of Amazon HQ2 in surprise Queens appearance
• Amazon was having official talks with city officials just the day before it canceled the New York HQ2
• Amazon says it will still honor its agreements to assist New York City schools after yanking HQ2
• Amazon’s HQ2 in Virginia just cleared a major hurdle, and it reveals a key difference from its New York project

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Source: Business Insider – hpeterson@businessinsider.com (Hayley Peterson)