Have you ever noticed how, right after issuing hundreds of employees layoff notices, the Boeing Co. takes out a multiple-page ad in The Herald, proclaiming all of the wonderful things they do for our community? Anyone out there still buying this?
Our leaders made a deal with Boeing: Our taxpayers will give you $8 billion dollars in tax cuts, if you will keep jobs here in the Puget Sound area. There was never an enforcement mechanism. It was a “gentleman’s bargain.” Except that this would require gentlemen. I am sure that there were some chuckles in the Boeing executive offices about this foolish budgetary decision.
And so, as many of us expected, jobs have continued to bleed from Boeing, on the pretext of “needing to remain competitive.” Profits are through the roof, so they can’t say that this has been necessary. Rather, the company’s treatment of us, their benefactors, has been ruthless and coldblooded. The executives of Boeing never had any intention of keeping the business here. They stayed long enough to fleece us, but they will inevitably depart anyway, with our money.
State Rep. June Robinson, D-Everett, has introduced legislation more than once to attach conditions (why did we not do this to begin with?) to our generous gift to this corporation. So far, the Legislature has ignored these efforts. Who are they working for? We need to contact them and demand that they be on our side, and rescind tax breaks if Boeing continues to cut jobs here.
Gina Parry
Snohomish
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