New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo takes revenge on the state board accused of imperiling Amazon\'s New York City headquarters

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2019 file photo, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo talks about his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump during a news conference in the Red Room at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Cuomo says Amazon's backing out of a deal to put one of its second headquarters in New York City is the FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2019 file photo, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo talks about his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump during a news conference in the Red Room at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Cuomo says Amazon's backing out of a deal to put one of its second headquarters in New York City is the &quotgreatest tragedy" he has seen since he's been in government. Cuomo said Friday, Feb. 22 on public radio station WAMC that losing the Amazon deal makes him sick to his stomach. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)Associated Press

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is cracking down on the state board that may have imperiled Amazon's New York City headquarters.

Cuomo added a provision to the state budget, which the legislature passed early Monday, that gives him greater control over the Public Authorities Control Board, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The board's approval was required for some aspects of the Amazon deal, which promised up to $3 billion in state incentives to Amazon for building its new headquarters in Long Island City.

Amazon abruptly cancelled plans for its New York headquarters in February, before the board ever got a chance to review the deal.

Read more: Read the letter New York leaders sent to Jeff Bezos begging Amazon to come back

The company's decision came just days after an Amazon critic, New York state Sen. Mike Gianaris, was nominated to the board.

A source told Recode that this nomination played a role in Amazon's decision to pull out of New York.

Now Cuomo, who has called the failed Amazon deal the "greatest tragedy" of his tenure, is tightening his grip on the board.

The Public Authorities Control Board board is charged with determining whether there is sufficient funding for projects like the Amazon deal, and it may only approve projects if funding is available. Unanimous approval from all members of the board is required.

Cuomo's new provision prohibits board members from blocking a deal for any reason other than the availability of funding, and gives the governor the power to remove members who threaten to break that rule.

"You can't come and say, 'I don't like Amazon,'" Cuomo said, according to the Journal.

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