Criticism of Gov. Inslee’s Job-Creation Performance Grows

In the few days since the Longview Daily News blasted Gov. Jay Inslee for his pledge to create more jobs,  numerous other media outlets are echoing similar concerns.

The Daily News took Inslee to task for environmental decisions that could likely prevent two large coal transfer stations from ever being built, costing potentially thousands of jobs in Cowlitz and Whatcom Counties. Now the widely-read Seattle political blog Sound Politics reports even more criticism is being leveled at the governor -- some of it by labor unions.

Inslee is being increasingly criticized for bending over backwards to keep Boeing from siphoning off jobs. It was announced that another 300 high-tech positions are going to be sent to California. Inslee has held numerous press conferences where he's outlined ambitious plans for state agencies to streamline development processes and help the aerospace giant. But critics say he's not applying the same effort to other potential developments.

As reported by Sound Politics this week:

"Herb Krohn, writing for the United Transportation Union (who noted that the terminals would be good for 'blue-collar folks' who 'voted for [Inslee]') said the Inslee administration was applying different environmental standards to the terminals than is applied to Boeing. He continued:"

What we don't applaud is the governor's inconsistent approach to job creation. He takes a different approach when it comes to building trade and transportation jobs that would be created by the proposed new export facilities. There he wants a comprehensive review (read delay) of the effects the items being exported have on the world's climate. Inslee's request caters to those who want to not just delay, but kill these projects and deny thousands of people construction employment as well as the many hundreds of permanent good middle-class working class jobs they will create."

No fewer than six times during the election campaign, at major press conferences and the two debates with challenger Rob McKenna Inslee said he was focused "like a laser beam"  on job creation.

   Yet, after the regular legislative session ended without a budget, his top three priorities seemed to have changed.   Again from Sound Politics:

"We've gotta focus like a laser beam on those top three priorities," Inslee told the press. What were those priorities? A budget compromise, a new transportation revenue package and a tougher drunk driving bill, with the DREAM Act and the Reproductive Parity Act as additional hoped-for accomplishments.

Those are normal priorities for a Democratic governor to have, but a laser-like focus on jobs they're not, and people are taking notice.