COMMENTARY

February 23, 2004

Boeing moves to block records release

Bob Williams | President | Evergreen Freedom Foundation
Boeing officials are trying to intervene in the public records lawsuit EFF filed to obtain undisclosed details of the governor’s recent deal with the company. In a motion filed February 20, Boeing argues that disclosing details about an employee training center for which taxpayers are being asked to spend a minimum of $10 million over an unspecified period of time “would not be in the public interest” and would “substantially and irreparably harm” the company.

It is not our goal to expose legitimately protected trade secrets. But the information we have obtained about the multi-million dollar taxpayer-funded training center so far does not indicate trade secrets. Instead, it seems Boeing officials and the governor want taxpayers to sign a blank check. They want legislators to agree, without all the necessary information to determine whether it is a good decision or not, to pay for “all costs, fees and expenses . . . arising out of operation, maintenance, repair and replacement” of what will be a 30,000 - 40,000 square foot facility, which the state will buy or build.

Further, the governor and other state officials have stated the training center will not be used for the exclusive benefit of Boeing. As Assistant Attorney General David Walsh was quoted in the Seattle Times this morning, “the $10 million is not for Boeing, but for education of the people, and of course the state may do that.”

If this building is not for Boeing, why does Boeing have trade secrets wrapped up in it?

That’s why we’ve asked a judge to review the documents and determine whether or not there are legitimate trade secrets that need to be protected. If the judge discovers there are, we have no desire to see those details released, but it also means Boeing, not taxpayers, should be funding the project. If there are no trade secrets, taxpayers have a right to know what they’re being asked to buy. And if Boeing officials are not willing to share those details, they should, again, fund the project themselves.

Our state constitution was written specifically to protect taxpayers from being forced to grant preferential subsidies to one corporation at the expense of others. Do legislators really want to throw that out the window?

Contact: Marsha Richards | Communications Director | 360.956.3482

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org