Statement of Ray Stephanson, Mayor of Everett and President of the Puget Sound Regional Council, on the WTO ruling on Airbus subsidies:

The people who make the world’s best airplanes are in this region and contribute mightily to our collective community strength. They can compete and win against the best the world has to offer. Today’s ruling bodes well in the current competition to build the next tanker.

I am confident the Department of Defense will pay attention to the details of this landmark ruling and how Airbus has benefitted from illegal subsidies from European governments for the past 40 years.

The government of the United States will surely stand for nothing less than a fair, open and transparent competition for the next tanker. It is gratifying to see our congressional delegation lead a coalition with others across the country to assure the DOD does the right thing and drive this contract home.

That contract will preserve and expand the job base in the region, including hundreds of suppliers with thousands of employees statewide. This is about our community and the jobs that help make this one of the best places around to live, work and raise families. This is an American family of communities here in the Northwest ready to go.

For more information contact: Rick Olson, rolson@psrc.org, 206-971-3050