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June 25, 2014

Who Must Win Jobs v. Environment Debate in Whatcom County?

 

A Letter to Our Fellow Citizens,

 

From John Huntley (Mills Electric) and Brad Owens (NW Washington Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO); Co-Chairs of the Northwest Jobs Alliance

 

Hardly a day passes when there isn't a news item describing the need for more and better jobs and a better environment, but the context too often seems to pit one against the other as if in a battle between good and evil.  This is a false proposition, because a good quality of life requires both.

 

To promote reasoned, fact-based discussion of economic and job development prospects in Whatcom County, a few years ago business and labor leaders jointly formed the Northwest Jobs Alliance
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Our mission:
Promote the growth of family-wage jobs in the context of sound environmental practice

 

In other words, we seek "Balanced Community Solutions."

 

Also in the past few years, there have been very strident and aggressive advocates of de-industrializing our economy, even threatening the high-wage jobs at the existing Cherry Point industries (which include two oil refineries and an aluminum smelter), to say nothing of the prospect of new industrial job growth.)

 

Here is an example of what these community activists are saying:

 

"...it is time to assess our Whatcom County industrial 'good neighbors and corporate citizens' with a more critical eye..."

 

"What should be occurring is a joint effort by the federal, state, and local governments, in consultation with the tribes, to consider whether any industrial activity at Cherry Point is appropriate or compatible with protecting that area." 

Activist Lawyer Terry Wechsler, April 21 and 6, 2014 on NWCitizen.com

 

The livelihoods of thousands of families are at stake as well as future generations to come.  Without the Cherry Point industrial job base, which was the result of decades of careful thought and planning, our community's economy and family income levels would be significantly weakened.  And our schools and local cities would suffer from a decimated tax base and diminished services, along with an increased shift of the tax burden to homeowners.  (Industry now carries much of the tax load.)

 

We reject the thinking that we can't have both economic prosperity and environmental quality. We must have both.

 

If you share our belief in striving for balance and would like to support Cherry Point jobs as part of the Northwest Jobs Alliance, please send your name and contact information to:

 

nwjobsalliance@gmail.com

 

or mail us at: 

P.O. Box 2162 

Bellingham, WA 98227

 

The Northwest Jobs Alliance promotes the growth of family-wage jobs in the context of sound environmental practice. Composed of a cross-section of the community, the Alliance will focus on supporting economic vitality and growth connected with the Cherry Point industrial area.
 
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