Way to go on Boeing

October 29, 2009 by senatormcconnell

The big news Wednesday afternoon was a Dreamliner come true: Boeing has decided to build a massive facility in North Charleston for production of its 787 airliner. That landmark victory for economic development in our community and state will bring thousands of well-paying jobs — an especially impressive and important achievement during these tough times. Many people can claim a fair share of the credit for this triumph. That happy group includes the state lawmakers who, while meeting in an extended session Wednesday, passed an economic incentive package to help lure the aircraft manufacturing giant.

Among those incentives are low-interest construction bonds and a sales tax exemption on fuel used in test flights. That timely action by the General Assembly might have been the decisive card in a high-stakes game between North Charleston and Everett, Wash. Repeated snags in the Boeing’s talks with the machinist union in Washington state also reportedly played a significant part in the company’s final call.

Another obvious advantage for our side: Boeing isn’t flying blindly into the Charleston area. It already produces 787 fuselage sections in North Charleston.

If Boeing hadn’t already been quite pleased with the results at that facility, it wouldn’t have seriously considered putting the new 787 plant here.

The people already working for Boeing here deserve considerable credit of their own for the company’s confidence in this vast expansion of its Lowcountry operations.

Wednesday’s announcement followed state lawmakers’ approval of incentives that helped seal the deal. Those incentives, vetted by the S.C. Board of Economic Advisors, appear to be in line with those provided elsewhere on behalf of economic development in the state. It’s hard to imagine how we can lose on a deal that adds 3,800 good jobs to the local economy. That number is particularly gratifying in light of South Carolina’s 11.6 percent unemployment rate.

Tax incentives weren’t the only inducement for Boeing. So was the decision of local Boeing workers to withdraw from that machinists union, which has made the company’s life difficult in Washington state.

Another plus: South Carolina’s technical college system offers worker training to benefit industry, a critical task that nearby Trident Tech is already fulfilling.

Gov. Mark Sanford linked the Boeing coup to the good work done by the local Boeing employees — and the sustained efforts of the state’s Department of Commerce and legislative leaders. Rightly drawing his praise Wednesday were Commerce Secretary Joe Taylor, Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, House Speaker Bobby Harrell, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

The governor also singled out David Ginn and Heyward Horton of the Charleston Regional Development Alliance and Charleston County economic development director Steve Dykes for their dogged — and ultimately successful — efforts to win over Boeing officials.

Speaker Harrell directed particular tribute of his own at Secretary Taylor and his team at Commerce, which is part of the governor’s Cabinet. And the speaker delivered this grandly accurate assessment of Wednesday’s huge story:

“Today’s announcement declares to the global business community that South Carolina is back in the game and open for business.”