State lawmaker blasts Boeing for sending jobs to other states

Everett Rep. June Robinson knows the Boeing Co. is building its newest jetliner in her legislative district.

But Friday the Democrat lawmaker blasted the aerospace giant for looking to shift hundreds of jobs from Washington to Oklahoma while continuing to receive $8.7 billion worth of tax breaks from this state.

“This is another example of the Boeing Company having their cake and wanting more cake,” she said in a statement. “Washington taxpayers are paying billions to keep Boeing jobs here at home. Yet Boeing collects our checks while moving jobs out of state to collect money from other cities. We shouldn’t be subsidizing job losses in Washington.”

Robinson has authored legislation tying the state’s tax incentives to creation and retention of jobs. As written, if the number of Boeing workers in Washington dips below a prescribed number, the tax breaks go away.

“We all want to see the next generation of aircraft designed, assembled, and finished in Washington State. We are willing to offer incentives to make that happen,” she said. “But those incentives need accountability measures for the people paying the bills so they cannot be abused by sending jobs out of state while still collecting subsidies in Washington and other states.”

Robinson’s bill is languishing in the House Finance Committee. She said Friday it’s not dead and conversations on linking jobs and incentives are taking place with her colleagues. She hopes the news about Oklahoma will re-ignite interest in passing it.

According to an article in the Oklahoman, Boeing would bring about 900 jobs to Oklahoma City in exchange for $6 million in incentives.

Boeing announced the job move last fall and plans to shift about 2,000 jobs out of the state mostly in the next three years.

“We know we are on the side of the people,” said Robinson. “Oklahoma City has our basketball team, they don’t need our Boeing jobs as well, especially not on our dime.”