How Apple’s Hometown Tax Deal Grew to $70 Million

Many states and cities offer tax breaks and other incentives to lure businesses and jobs—often raising questions about the actual benefit of the expensive measures. California communities have a unique version, one that Bloomberg Tax’s Laura Mahoney shed light on this year.

In extensive data research and reporting, Mahoney uncovered Cupertino’s payment of nearly $70 million to Apple through the years. It started when the company was in trouble in 1997, and it continues with monthly payments to the now-giant global enterprise. Defenders say agreements like this help the economy of job-hungry cities; critics call them an unwarranted tax giveaways. Other companies have similar arrangements—Best Buy, for example, has one with the city of Dinuba.

The money comes from a special California mechanism that shares sales tax revenue with communities where companies are located or that are designated as points of sale. Bloomberg Tax team leader Jeff Harrington spoke with Mahoney about the issue and her reporting.

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