What made the plane maker's decision so frustrating to Kansans is that the company promised if it won the Pentagon contract to build the aerial tanker, it would create jobs and a huge economic boom for the city. In an April 30, 2010, press release, the company proclaimed, "The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that Kansas will benefit from approximately 7,500 jobs and an estimated $388 million in annual economic impact if the Boeing NewGen Tanker is selected as the U.S. Air Force's next aerial refueling aircraft." The release highlighted quotes of support from Kansas politicians including former Gov. Mark Parkinson and then-Sen. Sam Brownback pledging support for the company.
Now, Kansas leaders are speaking in less flattering ways about Boeing.
In a statement, Gov. Brownback called out the company for fleeing. "We have been there with the company through every battle, whether it was the 10-year tanker battle or securing funding for other key Boeing Defense programs vital to national security. Our team never wavered, always keeping its commitment to the success of the Boeing Company for the good of the state and of the nation. Today’s announcement on the phaseout of Boeing’s presence in Wichita is very disappointing to all of us," he said.
Sen. Jerry Moran was similarly peeved by Boeing's choice. "Today I join thousands of Kansans who are outraged by the announcement that Boeing will be closing its Wichita defense facility — leaving the future for hundreds of Kansas workers in jeopardy. As recently as 10 months ago, I joined these workers and local and state officials in Wichita to celebrate Boeing’s victory in the tanker competition," he said in a statement. "The fact that Boeing is now refusing to honor its commitment to the people of Kansas is greatly troubling to me and to thousands of Kansans who trusted that Boeing’s promise would be kept."
Sen. Pat Roberts recalled in a statement that Boeing representatives duped him, too. "Boeing's chairman sat in my office 22 months ago during that battle [to get Boeing the contract] and promised me, then-Sen. Brownback and Congressman [Todd] Tiahrt that if we won the fight to get the tanker contract back, Boeing would stay in Wichita. The chairman again promised the entire delegation the work would remain in Wichita just last February, when the tanker contract was settled in Boeing's favor."
Boeing defended its move by saying that shrinking Pentagon budgets mean the company had to streamline operations. "In this time of defense budget reductions, as well as shifting customer priorities, Boeing has decided to close its operations in Wichita to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and drive competitiveness," it said.
But Moran cast doubt on Boeing's claim. "It is hard to believe that conditions would have changed so rapidly over the past few months to bring about the decision to not only move the tanker finishing work elsewhere, but to also close down the entire facility," he said in his statement.
Brewer and Brownback both tried to sound optimistic about the future of the aviation industry in Wichita, and noted that the facilities and the trained workforce aren't blowing town. They said the future will likely lie in commercial aviation. Brownback said in a press conference, "You’ll be seeing some positive announcements shortly."
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Though everyone may want to deny it, the radical right political machine in Wichita, who puts people like Brownback in office, are to blame for this mess. As Kansas continues to become a backward, socially regressive state it will continue to lose business. My wife and I, both Kansas residents, are looking to move West this year. Goodbye Brownbackistan!
One more reason to finally leave this shithole state behind.
Corporate GREED! CROOKS All.Brownback Worthless.Idiot.
Wake UP and give NO breaks to NO Business.Little Brainwashed College BOYS&GIRLS ALL.GREED Driven FOOLS.
WAKE UP Amercia!ALL Colleges are Corp GREED breeding grounds.ALL ! Brainwashed Idiots ALL who come out of.Until
WE clean them UP and OUT of office ALL! NOTHING will improve.
I am so sick of these gov't contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrup, they are basically employed by the gov't, we might as well cut funding since us tax payers are paying them
Boeing does what they want, when they want, wherever they want. And they hire from within. When they moved to Spokane, WA they promised jobs but no locals were hired, All were transferred in from layoffs. Guaranteed, all those laid off will be offered transfers before they hire in the new location.
Andrea-have you ever been to Kansas? Ever heard of the H-bomb? Ever heard of Honeywell? Do you know where the equipment that was invented to carry the H-bomb was created?
Keep it real Kansas-fact check, Kansas City is ranked 5th in the nation for Biotech Jobs, a 20 minute drive from Union Station to Lenexa on I-35 will show you that.
No surprise Wichita. OKC offers them a lot more than you would. Operating costs are lower in Oklahoma and the state offers tax credit incentives and a cash-back quality jobs incentive.
The days of having it easy with a govt job your entire life are coming to an end in this country. Sorry, but KEEP IT REAL KS who posted earlier has a valid point . "stop sucking on the govt titty".
Good suggestions...but the idea of KANSAS as a magnet for intelligent, open-minded people is hilarious...especially as long as people like Brownback stay in office. Kansans love to vote against their own economic best-interests--in fairness, this is true throughout much of the Midwest and the South--as long as they have the chance to elect anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-science wackos. No intelligence there.
All across the nation people have been losing jobs. In our little town just 3 weeks ago a major company closed its facility here and moved it to Mexico. Wichita you have my sympathies.
wake up wichita, the 21st century is here, and building bombers and roise the riviter are long long gone. instead of bible thumper brownback wasting his time cutting health care for women and children and turning our schools into halls of dark age thinking, you brownback , moran, and roberts, should be doing everything to attract green energy and bio tech jobs. make the state a magnet for people with intelligence and open minds. stop sucking on the govt titty.
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