Everyone Has An Opinion on Why Boeing Picked South Carolina

First reactions dominate the news in the first 24 hours following yesterday's announcement. The political responses follow predictable partisan plot lines.

Republicans point up competitiveness challenges - too many to link to, but see here, here, and here. Sen. Mike Hewitt makes a good point:

Washington must be leaner and meaner if we’re going to compete in this global economy. One of the ways we can do that is by taking a long, hard look at the Deloitte report released this past spring. It focuses specifically on what our state needs to do to be more competitive in the aerospace sector – an industry that accounts for more than 36 billion dollars in our state’s economy. One of the most important things we must do is reform workers’ compensation, which the Deloitte reports calls ‘one of the most expensive workers’ compensation systems in the country.’ I stand ready to work with my colleagues and the governor to enact those critical changes that will help us compete for jobs.

Sen. Lisa Brown takes a different tack:

I continue to believe Washington offers a far more skilled and experienced workforce, far more competitive infrastructure, and a far more committed Legislature and governor than does South Carolina. I continue to believe that Boeing and the 787 are positioned most competitively right here in Washington.

...Washington residents can be proud that their state remains a great place to do business according to almost every objective analysis, including those performed by national publications such as Forbes and U.S. News & World Report.

We've written about rankings before, so I won't rehash any of that here. We do have competitive strengths in Washington, Brown's right about that, but the state cannot afford to ignore the emerging challenges from states and nations that want our businesses.

Here's video from the governor's press conference yesterday, where she said:

We did all we could to demonstrate that Washington is the best place in America to build airplanes.

OK. The first reactions are about what you'd expect. And i still call them first reactions, although the decision has been pending long enough for everyone to have staked out turf. More important is that lawmakers come together to assure we win the next competition. And to do that, they'll have to acknowledge that there more to be done. That's the line taken by state business leaders.

The News Tribune editorial board understands the lesson:

Boeing’s decision to go to South Carolina is proof positive – if Washingtonians still needed convincing – that aerospace has become a highly competitive and mobile industry. Boeing is battling for first place, and it is making no allowances for sentimentality. An experienced workforce is preferable, but not at any cost – not when Boeing can find able and willing workers elsewhere who can be trained.

Washington can no longer afford to be smug. The state stands to lose much more than the second 787 line if it doesn’t heed Boeing’s message that it needs more to keep it here.

So does the Seattle Times:

We are a high-wage state, and that should not change. But there will be fights about workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, work-force training and taxes. There are things that need to be changed in order to remain a high-wage state.

The Times isn't explicit about what needs to be changed, but it's clear that the high cost of doing business here will have to come down - that means embracing the business-backed reforms for workers' comp and being smart and strategic with tax incentives.

The Everett Herald also looks to the future. 

Repairing a relationship is difficult, but the Machinists and Boeing have so many reasons to keep this long, fruitful partnership thriving, and flying.

True. It's also true that state lawmakers have many reasons to work past some of the acrimony that blocked progress on competitiveness issues last session and build a more "fruitful partnership" with the business community.