(WICHITA, Kan.)—
Former Congressman and current Republican Committeeman, Todd Tiahrt, says it’s going to be tough to keep the Wichita facility. He spoke live with Eyewitness News anchor Roger Cornish about Boeing’s announcement Monday.
The aviation company released a statement saying it’s studying the future of the facility in Wichita. Tihart says the cost of government is going up which puts the Wichita plant at risk. He says while this isn’t the first time Boeing has studied the feasibility of Wichita, the economic climate make it more risky. Boeing Wichita only does defense work for the government.
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and all six members of the Kansas Delegation - Senator Pat Roberts, Senator Jerry Moran, Rep. Lynn Jenkins, Rep. Mike Pompeo, Rep. Tim Huelskamp and Rep. Kevin Yoder - released the following statement saying in part:
“Boeing has promised publicly and repeatedly in writing that the success in winning the tanker contract would mean ‘7,500 jobs’ in Kansas, including several hundred jobs at Boeing-Wichita for the Tanker Finishing Center. We expect the company to honor that commitment.”
Congressman Mike Pompeo was in the KWCH studios when the announcement was released. We asked him for a response but he left without commenting, referring us to the joint statement released by the governor's office.
Tihart says there’s little Brownback and the others can do to keep Boeing. He says other states offer more competitive wages and economic development incentives. He says a key to keeping Boeing here will be the employees. He says contracts will have to be reviewed and employees will have possibly take lower wages. Tihart says Kansas has very little wiggle room if Boeing chooses to leave.
Boeing says it hopes to have the study completed by the end of this year or early 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment