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| English: Commandant of cadets flies new C-17 Globemaster III home: Brig. Gen. Susan Y. Desjardins flies a newly accepted C-17A Globemaster III over the U.S. Air Force Academy cadet area Oct. 2 in Colorado Springs, Colorado General Desjardins accepted the aircraft into the United States Air Force's inventory at Boeing's facilities in Long Beach, California, and flew it from the Boeing facility to its new duty station with the 436th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
BREAKING NEWS
Schipske Says Long Beach Needs Economic Impact Study on Potential Boeing Loss So that Governor’s Office of Jobs and Business Development Can Assess What Incentives Can Be Offered -- Suggests Costs of Study Be Borne by City, Local Union and LB Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach, CA – November 14, 2013 – After a series of telephone calls and meetings to determine what the City of Long Beach can do to keep The Boeing Company in Long Beach, Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske today stated:
Schipske Says Long Beach Needs Economic Impact Study on Potential Boeing Loss So that Governor’s Office of Jobs and Business Development Can Assess What Incentives Can Be Offered -- Suggests Costs of Study Be Borne by City, Local Union and LB Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach, CA – November 14, 2013 – After a series of telephone calls and meetings to determine what the City of Long Beach can do to keep The Boeing Company in Long Beach, Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske today stated:
“My office staff and I have been in contact with the Governor’s
Office of Jobs and Business Development, the Los Angeles County Economic
Development Corporation and the leadership of United Aerospace Works Local 148
about what can be done to keep the Boeing Company here in Long Beach – either with
the C-17 program or the ‘wing work’ for the 777x. It is clear that with the
announcement that the International Association of Machinists in Puget Sound,
Washington rejected a contract deal with Boeing, and the subsequent statement
from Boeing CEO, Ray Conner, that the company will open the process
competitively and pursue all options for the 777x, that the Long Beach needs to
step up and make the case why Boeing should remain here.
Governor Brown signed into law last
July three pieces of legislation that include hiring credits for companies in
areas blighted with the highest jobless rates, a sales tax exemption on tools
for manufacturing and research and development equipment and tax incentives for
companies that create jobs and pay the highest wages.
The City of Long Beach faces the
highest unemployment rate in the State as well as a growing poverty rate
amongst adults and young people. The loss of Boeing would mean our second
largest employer would be gone which could have catastrophic results on our
local economy.
I have been told that in order for Governor
Brown’s Office of Jobs and Business Development to determine what if any
incentives can be offered to retain Boeing in Long Beach, an ‘Economic Impact
Study’ needs to be prepared detailing the exact economic loss Long Beach would
suffer should Boeing leave. The Los Angeles County Representative for the
Governor’s Office of Jobs and Business Development recommended that such a
study be commissioned with the Los Angeles County Economic Development
Corporation.
The Los Angeles County Economic
Development Corporation (LAEDC), a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization
established in 1981. Its mission is to attract, retain, and grow business and
jobs for the regions of Los Angeles County.
The study is estimated to cost $15,000
which could be borne equally by the City of Long Beach, the United Aerospace
Workers Local 148 and the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Long Beach needs to fight to keep
these jobs here. What we do in this instance sends a strong message to Boeing
and any other company that would consider locating here, that the City of Long
Beach will stand by them and that we will do what it takes to protect our local
economy.
I am submitting a council agenda item
requesting that the City fund the ‘Economic Impact Study’ and that the City
Manager request the participation of UAW and the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce
in this critical effort.”
Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske
represents the 5th Council District in which The Boeing Company is
located. She has launched a Facebook page where readers can indicate their
support for this effort: www.facebook.com/keepboeinginlongbeach
