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RESOLUTION NO. 4 5 8 3
A RESOLUTION FO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, URGING THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO SELECT THE
BOEING COMPANY TO BUILD THE NEXT MID-AIR
REFUELING TANKER
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Defense has begun the
process to procure the Air Force's next mid-air refueling tanker; and
WHEREAS, Boeing and Airbus are anticipated to be the competitors to
build that tanker; and
WHEREAS, that contract could be worth $35 billion; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. economy is currently struggling through a recession
of historic magnitude; and
WHEREAS, unemployment nationally and in Washington remains around
10%; and
WHEREAS, U.S. taxpayers deserve the best tanker at the least cost; and
WHEREAS, The Boeing Company has a history of producing successful
tankers for the U.S. Air Force and other countries' air forces; and
WHEREAS, Boeing can deliver a better aircraft more quickly to our
soldiers, sailors and airmen; and
WHEREAS, Boeing will build its tankers in Everett, Washington at a
proven plant, with a highly skilled and dedicated regional workforce that has a
tradition of building the best airplanes in the world; and
Resolution No. 4583
March 11, 2010
Page 1
WHEREAS, the Seattle metropolitan statistical area, in which the City of
Auburn is located, has the highest concentration of aerospace jobs in the world;
and
WHEREAS, the Seattle metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region is
home to the vast majority of Boeing's more than 75,000 workers; and
WHEREAS, each job at Boeing supports nearly three additional jobs; and
WHEREAS, Aerospace workers earn an average of more than $50,000 a
year-60 percent higher than the average for all private sector industries; and
WHEREAS, most aerospace companies are relatively small businesses-
many with five to 50 employees; and
WHEREAS, approximately $5.4 billion is paid in annual wages to
aerospace workers-five percent of all wages paid in the state; and
WHEREAS, the Auburn City Council values these jobs and the people
who hold them, and will make it a priority to ensure Washington and the Puget
Sound region remains the best place to design, build, and market commercial
airplanes; and
WHEREAS, our national security interests are not served by sending this
valuable and strategic program overseas; and
WHEREAS, Airbus has a majority of their workers in Europe, and by their
own admission would only do the finishing work for a tanker in the U.S.-thaYs
as little as 5 percent; and
Resolution No. 4583
March 11, 2010
Page 2
WHEREAS, awarding the contract to Boeing can create or retain 40,000
to 50,000 American jobs at a time in history when we desperately need them;
and
WHEREAS, U.S. taxpayers are not served by buying tankers from both
Boeing and Airbus in this competition.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN,
WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES as follows:
Section 1. The Auburn City Council beseeches the U.S. Department of
Defense to select Boeing over Airbus to build the next mid-air refueling tanker;
and
Section 2. The Auburn City Council further requests that the U.S.
Department of Defense not split the contract between the two competitors; and
Section 3. The Auburn City Council further directs that copies of this
Resolution be immediately transmitted by the City Clerk to Boeing Corporate
Offices in Chicago, Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, the International
Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the Society of
Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace. '
Section 4. The Auburn City Council further directs that copies of this
Resolution be immediately transmitted by the City Clerk to the Washington State
Congressional delegation.
Resolution No. 4583
March 11, 2010
Page 3
Section 5. The Mayor is hereby authorized to implement such
administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directions of this
legislation.
Section 6. This Resolution shall take effect and be in force upon passage
and signatures hereon.
PASSED this 45~ day of 2010.
CITY OF AUBUR ~
PETER B. LEWIS
ATTEST: MAYOR
Danielle E. Daskam,
City Clerk APP W,VED FORM:
D iei B. ei
City Attorney
Resolutiom No. 4583
March 11, 2010
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