He is using that phrase in the sense of his (perceived) responsibility to his employees, which is undoubtedly stronger than his responsibility to the overall city.
Other than obeying the law and paying taxes, he has no responsibility to the city. Why has it become so fashionable to project obligation onto others? The guy is creating 20+ jobs this year, what more would he need to do to fulfill this "responsibility to the overall city?"
Where does someone's butterfly effect responsibility end?
If I create a startup and hire 20 people, and some of those 20 people like to eat some particular type of food for team lunches, and their presence at that eatery makes the lunch line longer for other patrons, do I have some obligation to apologize to those patrons for the long line?
If my 20 employees don't elect my $500 stipend to live within walking distance, what pennance would adequate for me to apologize to citizens of earth for the increased CO2 emissions from their driving and to the citizens of San Francisco for the extra 40 vehicle trips that would be foist upon the city? For good measure, he's paying people $500 a month extra to live within walking distance. For this, he gets a river of crap?!
At some point, companies employ people, those people get paid, those people spend their money consuming other items, but the company has no responsibility to apologize for that 3rd level effect consumption, IMO.
When you've already hobbled the market mechanism on the seller side the only thing that seems to make sense is to try to browbeat the amorphous tide of the demand side, i.e. shouting at the ocean.
