Washington governor discusses WTO case with French officials

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire headed up a state delegation to the Paris air show this year. The group primarily went to meet with the CEOs of 787 suppliers that have divisions here on Puget Sound. (The list included Crane Aerospace, Safran and Zodiac — all of which have subsidiaries here), trying to convince them they need to set up 787 assembly areas close to Boeing’s factory in Everett.

But Gregoire also got a meeting with the French Transportation Minister, at which, according to the Washington folks, she tried to clear up misconceptions about the $3.2 billion tax break the state is giving to aerospace companies in return for Boeing deciding to assemble the 787 here.

Key Quote: “‘I was very clear,’ Gregoire (said). ‘Airbus would have had the same benefits as the Boeing Co., and all suppliers will have that. … The rug is out from under any other claim,’ she said.”

Here’s the link:

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/05/06/15/100loc_gregoire001.cfm

The eagle-eyed among you will notice that story ran in today’s Herald, and (stand by for this week’s pitch) if you subscribed to the paper, you could have read that over your Cheerios this morning.

In addition, subscribers would have seen my column:

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/05/06/15/100bus_corliss001.cfm

And a recap of Boeing’s orders announced Tuesday in Paris:

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/05/06/15/100bus_orders001.cfm

Plus you’d have read a whole lot of interesting local non-Boeing stuff, including the REALLY big news: My neighborhood’s getting an Applebee’s. (Laugh if you will, but the only close dining options right now are a Quizno’s and a take-out Mexican joint.)