We’ve had time now to sit back and reflect on the emotion-laden vote of the Boeing Machinists that is very likely to send the Boeing Co. out of Washington for future of airplane construction.
Now this may not be a bad thing. After all, we lament how things used to be around Everett and Seattle. The roads will become more usable with fewer Boeing workers on the highway, not to mention all of those who will lose their jobs due to the domino effect. So, with less demand, the Legislature should find there is no need to increase taxes on gas or cars. And with a decreasing population, there will be less need for public transit, and so less need for subsidy. With a smaller population our need for additional schools, police, firefighters, and other public employees will decrease. As the population decreases there will also be less pressure on the fisheries allowing the tribes to better manage them.
Yes, so many things will improve as we fall back to the economy of the ’60s, even though we no longer have logging and commercial fishing as the mainstay of Everett industry.
So, those of us who will be left can give hardy thanks to the Boeing unions.
Dick Davidson
Arlington
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