On Saturday afternoon, the Arlington County Board is slated to vote on a $23 million incentive package for Amazon, linked to increased hotel tax revenue resulting from Amazon’s arrival. But if local coalition “For Us, Not Amazon” gets its way, the vote won’t happen—at least not yet.

Earlier this week, the group sent a letter to the county board endorsed by 32 different regional organizations asking them to delay the vote until Amazon agrees to attend public hearings with the community. “[Amazon and the county board] wants the image that everyone in Virginia is happy about this. Well, we’re not,” says coalition organizer Roshan Abraham.

The “For Us, Not Amazon” coalition is formally made up of nine member organizations including Our Revolution Arlington, the NoVA branch of Democratic Socialists of America, and Showing Up for Racial Justice Northern Virginia. They formed in November immediately following the announcement, and describe their organization as “working people, immigrants, and people of color against an Amazon takeover in Arlington.”

Over the last few months, they’ve canvassed neighborhoods, hosted community forums, and protested local Amazon events in support of their message that the company’s move to the area and the county’s promised incentives package aren’t a win for Arlington. They cite affordable housing concerns, Amazon’s relationship with ICE, and the company’s history of being anti-union as reasons.

“There are going to be losers. It’s those people who are going to be displaced,” says Abraham, who’s also a steering committee member for Our Revolution Arlington. “We are shining a really big light on who it is in Arlington that will be hurt by this deal.”

County officials have said that Amazon’s arrival will help fill the county’s coffers and will lead to addressing many of the issues that groups like “For Us, Not Amazon” are concerned about. 2005’s BRAC, a nationwide redistribution of military bases, left a significant number of commercial office vacancies, which contributed to lower tax revenue and the county’s current budget shortfall. Amazon filling those office vacancies—and, in theory, paying substantial taxes – will provide Arlington more flexibility in their budget. The county estimates $319 million in new net revenue as a result of Amazon’s headquarters over the first 16 years, according to the Arlington Economic Development Commission.

Concerns are more immediate for some, says Abraham. He says he’s already heard of rent speculation in Crystal City and Pentagon City. “The impacts of gentrification and displacement have already started. Amazon is turbo charging it,” says Abraham.

When Amazon announced its second headquarters in November (and even before that), there was concern that the public would have limited opportunity to weigh in. Months later and days before the incentives package vote, those concerns still haven’t been laid to rest. The feeling of lack of transparency from both Amazon and the county board was made even worse in light of the recent revelation, as reported by ARLnow, that the county has been exploring ways to help Amazon use a tech incentive program to dodge a business license tax.

In late January, the Arlington County Board announced they would delay a vote on the incentive package in an effort to “to give everyone that comfort and peace of mind.” A full docket of civic association and community organization meetings with county board members was set up.

During a Tuesday appearance on the Kojo Nnamdi Show, Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey defended the board’s approach to community engagement, saying the company has had “dozens” of meetings with community groups around the country. At least two recent Arlington gatherings did have an Amazon representative present, including a February Crystal Civic Association meeting and a Shirlington Civic Association meeting last week. Additionally, later this month, Amazon is a sponsor for an AFAC event.

At a ticketed event in February with local government officials and business executives, Amazon official Holly Sullivan told the supportive crowd that the company wanted to be “a good neighbor and active member” of the community. In a statement provided to DCist, Amazon said that they’ve “met with many community leaders and residents, including local businesses, nonprofits, and community and civic associations. We have appreciated the warm welcome we have received, and we will continue to engage with and learn from our neighbors here as we expand our presence in Arlington.”

But Abraham says he hasn’t seen enough of that yet. “We need an opportunity for the community to ask Amazon questions and get their responses,” says Abraham.

He’s not the only one who feels this way. Opal Boyer is Grassroots Alexandria’s representative in “For Us, Not Amazon.” She says that the Arlandria-Chirilagua community, a neighborhood made up of many Central American immigrants that borders Alexandria and Arlington, is also fearful of rising rents, increasing housing prices, and displacement. “[Arlandria-Chirilagua residents] have been left out of this process,” says Boyer. “We want a democratic process that involves everyone, a real community conversation.”

Arlington County Board Member Erik Gutshall says he actually agreed with opponents’ arguments until a few weeks ago. Since then, however, he feels that the company has really stepped up.

“Amazon has been meeting with all kinds of civic associations, business groups, non-profits, and environmental groups. I respect them immensely for trying to meet with so many groups.” Gutshall acknowledges that he wishes there had a been a public forum, but says he believes that if it had happened, it wouldn’t have gone well. “If they were to do public meetings, the folks who disagree with them… would turn it into a opportunity to grandstand,” says Gutshall, “I can’t begrudge Amazon for not wanting to manage that.” Gutshall says he will vote in support of the incentives package on Saturday.

Comments like these make Abraham feel the county board has a “real low opinion of their constituents” and is “protecting” Amazon. “We are still waiting for the board to give us some kind signal that they are still representing us,” says Abraham, “and not Amazon.” Boyer, too, reiterated the feeling that local officials, including Alexandria’s mayoral office, hasn’t put enough pressure on Amazon to actually be good neighbors. “It seems like they are standing for Amazon and not their constituents.”

Julius Spain Sr. is the president of the Arlington Branch of the NAACP, which was established in 1940. His organization also signed the letter asking the board to delay the upcoming vote until Amazon better engages with the public. Spain. harbors many of the same concerns, and thinks that this could cause Arlington to lose one of its greatest strengths. “We claim to be a diverse and inclusive community,” says Spain, “But that could go away if Arlington becomes a place where you can only pay to play. We are going to lose what we claim is so important to us.”

Support for the incentive package appears strong among the five panel members, and even with the public pushback expected on Saturday ahead of the vote, it seems unlikely the board will delay it. Board Chair Dorsey  strongly supports the project, with Board Member Gutshall also saying he will vote yes.

Nonetheless, there’s still a belief from opponents that the unexpected could happen.

“I’m optimistic. There’s monumentum on our side now,” says Boyer, “Anything is possible when we stand up together as a community.”