South Carolina Statehouse Blog

BILL PAVES WAY FOR LARGEST JOBS AND INVESTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT IN STATE HISTORY 

Columbia, S.C. - October 30, 2009 - Flanked by state and local elected
officials and economic developers, Gov. Mark Sanford today signed
H.3130 - an economic incentives bill that helped pave the way for
Boeing Company’s announcement of its plan to establish a second
production line for the 787 Dreamliner adjacent to the company’s
existing facilities in North Charleston.

“As we said on Wednesday, Boeing’s decision to land decisively in
South Carolina is both a monumental shot in the arm to our state’s
economy and indeed a revolutionary boost to our already growing
aerospace hub,” said Gov. Mark Sanford. “Monumental in the sense that
this is the largest jobs and investment announcement in South Carolina
history; and revolutionary in the way that just as BMW catalyzed a now
extensive automotive presence across South Carolina, we think Boeing
will set off a ripple effect of high-tech manufacturing and supplier
chains across the state. All in all, this enormous commitment from
Boeing represents not only a dividend from our state’s continued
efforts to better our business climate, but also a challenge to not
let up with regard to lowering taxes, easing burdens put on business
in our state’s tort and workers’ compensation systems, and keeping
South Carolina a right-to-work state.

“Successes like this one require a team effort, and accordingly, a
number of people deserve our appreciation: first and foremost, the
hardworking Boeing employees already in the Lowcountry for their
confidence in Boeing’s management, and the reciprocal confidence
entrusted in our state by the Boeing Company; also, Secretary Joe
Taylor and his team at Commerce, as well as U.S. Senator Lindsey
Graham, and state legislators like Senators Leatherman and McConnell,
and Speaker Harrell; county and city officials, as well as other
instrumental voices - people like David Jennings from the Aviation
Authority and David Ginn and Heyward Horton with the Regional
Development Alliance. There are a whole host of other names that merit
mention, but I’d say that at the end of the day, this was a
coordinated team effort from top-to-bottom, and something I think will
begin to change the way South Carolina looks and feels for the better.
With all that said, we look forward to welcoming the Boeing team to
South Carolina.”

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