A short but illuminating piece from last week’s Loudoun Times-Mirror (fast becoming my favorite local rag) describes the actions “transparency advocates” have taken to shine a light on incentives offered by local governments to Amazon re: its “HQ2” development. This is the sweepstakes Amazon is running as its board decides where to build its second headquarters, somewhere in North America. Will your local government be the one to offer enough from you the taxpayer?

Apparently we’ll never know. According to NoVaSaysNo.com: “Our state and local governments have signed non-disclosure agreements with Amazon, preventing residents from even knowing what is being offered with their tax dollars.”

Loudoun officials declined to answer questions from the Times-Mirror. The “Loudoun County Department of Economic Development” (I’m reaching for my wallet already) gave a bureaucratic response referencing Virginia Code sections eight numbers long.

The best bet at any sunlight on this particular issue is through Freedom of Information requests. Such requests have been submitted by, among others, members of the D.C. Metro chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Democratic Socialists of America.

Shouldn’t they favor something like government support (I’m actually thinking of a nastier word) of business ventures? Anyway, I think it’s the first time I’ve ever found myself on their side.

First time for everything.

You know what they say about politics and bedfellows.