DEED Sued For Details On Minnesota's Failed Amazon Bid
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A public watchdog group wants details of Minnesota's failed bid to bring Amazon's second headquarters to the state.
Minnesota was among 223 states and cities bidding for the Amazon offices.
Public Records Media is suing the state Department of Economic Development, which it says may have illegally withheld details of the bid, citing privacy laws.
MPR reports that "the lawsuit seeks to recover costs incurred by the group and civil penalties against DEED for alleged violations of the Data Practices Act."
"One of the reasons we are bringing the suit is because of the hazy nature of what's been going on, where the state and an economic development agency is making promises on behalf of the taxpayers of the state of Minnesota," Public Records Media's Matt Ehling said. "The taxpayers need to see what those promises were."
DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy said in a statement: "All information concerning the State of Minnesota's role, and offers of state taxpayer incentives to Amazon, have been publicly disclosed."