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Kristiansen: Boeing's pick of South
Carolina for 787 line should
be 'wake-up call' for Washington state
Lawmaker
says decision not surprising, since
state has been in denial over employer concerns
House Republican Caucus
Chairman Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, issued the following
statement after Boeing announced it would put its second line for
building the 787 in South Carolina, not Snohomish County.
"It's extremely
disappointing that Boeing has chosen South Carolina over Washington, but
not surprising at all. Boeing has been very critical of our state's
difficult regulatory atmosphere. At the end of the day, it has to be
able to compete successfully on an international scale, especially
against Airbus. Instead of providing a level playing field, Washington
has consistently put up barriers that make it difficult not only for
Boeing to compete, but also for other employers throughout our state.
"It's been no secret that
other states have been courting Boeing for years. Boeing has tried to
make it work here. However, it has gotten to a point with unemployment
insurance issues, regulatory burdens, business and occupation taxes, and
recently, the governor being willing to consider tax increases, that
Washington is no longer a place where Boeing can be competitive.
"In South Carolina, it
took only days for Boeing to get the permits it needs to move forward
with the second 787 plant. In Washington, it would take years. That's
one of many examples in which our state has not been helpful and has
stood in the way of the ability for Boeing to successfully compete here.
"When Boeing decided
several years ago to move its headquarters from Seattle to Chicago, many
of my House Republican colleagues and I warned that unless the
Legislature was willing to make reforms to improve the state's business
climate, we may see further departures. The governor and the majority
party have been in denial about concerns of job providers and now our
predictions are unfortunately coming true.
"We must also remember
this is not just about Boeing. Many other employers rely on Boeing and
its workforce to support their companies. Hundreds of thousands of jobs
in Washington are indirectly related to Boeing and are affected. I've
been very critical not only about how our state has treated Boeing, but
all employers in Washington. Even when the Legislature made concessions
to Boeing in 2003 to secure the Dreamliner in our state, I also said we
should extend those tax relief benefits to all businesses.
Unfortunately, very little has been done in the Legislature to make
Washington attractive for business.
"Today's announcement
needs to be a wake-up call to our political leaders in Washington to
create a more competitive business climate before we lose more employers
to other states."
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
State Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish,
represents the 39th Legislative District, and also serves as chairman of
the Washington House Republican Caucus. He can be contacted at (360)
786-7967 or e-mail him and sign up for his e-newsletter at:
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/Kristiansen.
For more information, contact:
John
Sattgast, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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