Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Tiahrt sheds crocodile tears over job losses

According the The Wichita Eagle, Mar. 08, 2006:

Rep. Todd Tiahrt has opposed new user fees on general aviation to boost revenues for the Aviation Trust Fund.
According to Tiahrt, The fees carry the threat of decreasing aircraft sales and that could affect jobs in Kansas, Tiahrt said. General aviation operators now contribute to the trust fund by paying taxes on fuel.
Effect jobs?
Has Tiahrt looked at figures over the last several years showing that high paying manufacturing jobs are leaving Wichita and Kansas?
According to The Wichita Eagle, Mar. 09, 2003:

“The Wichita metropolitan area has lost 10,100 transportation-manufacturing jobs since December 1998, according to Wichita State University's Center for Economic Development and Business Research.
Aviation jobs lost since Sept 11, 2001, represent as much as 17 percent of the $50,000-and-over jobs in the Wichita area that were counted by the 2000 census.
Other communities have faced similar -- or worse --job losses in aerospace and bounced back stronger.
But recovery takes strategic planning and hard work by government and the private sector to identify and attract new industries.”
Tiahrt hasn’t done that. He put a lot into his tanker aircraft deal that fell flat on its face. This is just one more example of Tiahrt using non-existent jobs as an excuse to help out his friends in big business.

Once again Tiahrt leaves his constituents like a sinking ship (or tanker).

1 comment:

Cie Cheesemeister said...

Ahh, but what does he care as long as his pockets are lined with the green?