LakeWashington

There's lots of hang-wringing, finger pointing by and to politicians, and near agony reported in Seattle yesterday at the Boeing Co.'s decision to relocate a major aircraft assembly facility to Charleston, SC.

The legislature in SC threw a shrimp boat full of tax incentives at Boeing to relocate. Anti-union antagonists blame the unions for essentially forcing Boeing's hand to leave. It's interesting to see the juxtaposition of political and cultural stereotypes: spurned Northwesterners screaming that they won't fly on a plane built in the South; Southerners and others complaining about 'Democrat' unions; conservative Southern Republican legislatures throwing money to subsidize businesses that have made hilariously flawed decisions (Boeing's 787 Dreamliner project, delayed again and again).

Read any of the online Seattle-area newspapers.

By the way, in the photo showing the SC legislators congratulating themselves at the news of Boeing's decision, two of guys standing nearest Gov. Sandford had facial expressions that said 'do I really have to be here?'

Lergnom

Isn't it ironic that SC, which is run by the GOP and proclaims a commitment to free enterprise as the bedrock of its (relatively limited) success, essentially bought Boeing's move with state subsidies? I find this kind of thing humorous, as in the $1B subsidy for the Cowboys stadium while MA, which so many label "socialist," did next to nothing for the Patriots or for the Bruins (who own where the Celtics play too). Those facilities were privately funded.

barrons

I know one thing, Charleston is high on our list of places to retire, Seattle is not. Sun. beaches, low COL and gracious lifestyle trump NW ways.

tom1944

While I do not blame the corporations for taking these "bribes" when offered I think an unbiased analysis shows it is usually not beneficial to the town in the long run. The cost is usually far greater than the taxes received.

Cuse0507

Charleston and Seattle are two of the most beautiful cities in the US, in my opinion. If I were a Boeing exec living in Seattle I would have chosen Charleston too, solely for the opportunity to take a few "business" trips down there each year.

UCBChemEGrad

^ Boeing execs moved to Chicago.

barrons

Tom, I think the value added by 8500 good jobs goes well beyond tax revenues generated. The key is how long the jobs actually last and any spinoffs from them. Some relocations end in lots more jobs following. Others, a bust. It's a crapshoot.

rodney

barrons: my husband and I are right behind you.....

LakeWashington

Barrons, you know that I always respect the perspective that your opinions add to discussion and debate, but I think to infer that the lifestyle in the PNW is somehow degraded compared to SC, well I can't agree with you there. And no, I can't argue over the lower cost-of-living in Charleston, nor about the beauty of Charleston. I've lived in Seattle and I've spent significant time over the years in SC. Including Charleston.

BigG

While the rest of the country is floundering economically in the "post-industrial America" Ivy League dream/fantasy, the sunbelt states are becoming the indusrial powerhouses of the new millenium.

Will political power and cultural influence follow?

Stay tuned to CC for facts, opinions, name calling and general intelluctual rambunctiousness.

I will start now;

tom1944,
You do not understand the impact good jobs have on a local economy. In the way back times they told me (at a world class university) that one manufacturing job like Boeing is bringing to SC supports or enables 6 to 7 jobs in the surrounding community. Everyone from barbers to heart surgeons (didn't they used to be the same thing?) to Dairy Queen clerks owes their jobs in a community to the one seventh of the population that brings in money from outside that community.

barrons

LW, for retirement our priorities are different. We want warm weather, less traffic, lower COL, beaches that you can enjoy without a coat, and great regional food. While I'll miss teriyaki I'll never need another piece of salmon. Also the entire NW liberalism is done for me. Keep arguing amongst yourselves over which kind of bag is more correct and that all those nice Somali folks can't be terrorists. I'll take paper please and no bag fee.

Cuse0507

Wow barrons, you may have just become my new favorite poster. It is a great honor, I know-one formally enjoyed by Hawkette and bulletandpima.

Ringgold

For some reason many in the PNW seem to believe the South is like a third world country. Just read many of the on line Seattle area newspapers about poor South Carolina and its uneducated population. Note that the Seattle Times did not compare Charleston to Everett, but instead compared it to Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma!

Site Selection Magazine lists South Carolina as #10 on its Top Ten Competitive States of 2008. North Carolina is #2, Kentucky and Texas tied for #5, and Tennessee and Alabama tied for #7.

And what about the boatload of incentives the State of Washington threw at Boeing previously? This time the State Government offered no new financial incentives. South Carolina did. So did Texas in 2003, but Boeing chose not to move there.

At one point in time Detroit laughed at the automobile manufacturing plants built in the South as said a Seattle Times columnist earlier this week. They aren't laughing now!

Boeing could have moved its assembly line anywhere in the world - think China.

The world is flat, people.

BigG

The Boeing workers and children of Boeing workers in South Carolina will, if necessary, fight and die for the United States of America. This is also true for the folks in the great state of Washington.

This is not true of the workers and children of workers in China.

That is a fact that needs to be factored into decisions regarding outsourcing.

tom1944

Check and see if the jobs stay long term. The corporations move at the next best deal. I forgot which company just recently is paying back some portion of their incentive because they decided to close their NC facility. At least recently the States and municipalities have gotten smart and added some requirements to pay some of the incentives back when the corporation ultimately leave.
I am a huge proponent of jobs- giving someone a job is basically the best thing that can be done for society. IMHO do it with a low tax requirement on employment and low or no corporate tax structure as well as the infrastructure needed to be competitive but to give incentives that last a certain period will cause pain when the company ultimately moves for the better deal. History shows they ultimately do move unless the long term structure of that area offers more than the incentives.