Assemblyman Skoufis: $21 million in corporate welfare for NBC is flat-out wrong

Assemblyman James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) blasted the recent news that New York’s economic development arm awarded $21 million in incentives to NBC’s “The Tonight Show” under the illusion that it was needed to keep the show hosted in the state. In reality, producers had already decided to relocate the show to New York without the tax credits.[1]

“No offense to Jimmy Fallon, but this giveaway to the ‘The Tonight Show’ is nothing short of outrageous,” said Skoufis. “This type of corporate welfare is a blatant disregard for the hardworking people of our state – I can think of 21 million better ways to spend this $21 million.”

“As a multi-billion dollar company, NBC can take care of itself just fine,” Skoufis continued. “This corporate welfare disguised as so-called economic development sucks away the limited dollars we have to help people who actually need help, especially our middle-class, seniors on fixed income, and small businesses. It’s long past time to end the gravy train and put New Yorkers first.”

[1] https://www.empirecenter.org/publications/tonight-your-tax-dollars-at-play/

(Press Release from James Skoufis)

  James Skoufis, NBC, The Tonight Show