If the whole world could be relied on to take the same principled stand, then there'd be no need to offer the breaks. But the reality is that employers are fleeing NY & NJ because of high-taxes, high-salary expense, onerous regulations, and more - all symptoms of the liberal "Utopia". These cities need an influx of companies and jobs to survive.
So the politicos either reduce taxes and regulations for all, or they do it for a select few that are willing to still come to their s***hole cities (to paraphrase POTUS). If they DON'T offer incentives, companies don't come and their cities die. The remaining residents - retirees and those too poor to flee - are left to even higher taxes to make up for the shortfall. Plus, the liberal policies would be shown to be the failures that they are.
As to the companies themselves - whether "rich" companies like Amazon, or others - they would be negligent in not seeking incentives, as they've become pretty much standard fare when establishing a presence in a new city. They actually have an fiduciary obligation to their shareholders to seek the best deal they can get.
'twould be nice if it weren't so, but the reality for NYC was: (1) no Amazon, or (2) Amazon with incentives.
Ny is not business friendly. The neighborhood is not Manhattan. City council does not want it says it was done in secret and billions in tax breaks. Also promised Amazon a private helicopter pad. Just saying