In the rush to convince legislators that the Boeing offer to build the 777x here is in the best interests of our state, a number of stakeholders have been left out of the discussion. There are the taxpayers throughout the state who will be asked to provide more teachers and classrooms for the children of the extra workers who will move here for jobs. And before that can happen, there are the children crowded into overflowing classes.
There are the Puget Sound commuters who will face ever more crowded roadways and then be asked to pay for new roads. There are people who eat local food who will see more valuable farmland converted to roads, buildings, and parking lots. There are the retirees and workers whose businesses don’t rely, even indirectly, on Boeing, who will spend more time in line at stores, restaurants, gas stations. And this list doesn’t even take into account the global increase in CO2 emissions from the greater number of planes produced.
Of course the legislators will be gleefully gloating over greater tax revenues. But in the meantime, the quality of life for many will diminish. Growth of business has its negative side that always seems to get overlooked in the zeal to build more and more products.
Sonja Larson
Mill Creek
