Weyerhauser mill closures another reminder of state’s unfriendly business climate

By Sen. Joyce Mulliken

10/29/05

Gray Harbor County, WA - Grays Harbor County received terrible news last week when Weyerhaeuser announced Oct. 21 that it will shut down a pulp mill in Cosmopolis and a large-log lumber mill in Aberdeen. The two facilities combined employ 342 workers.

Weyerhauser’s decision is just the latest example that Washington isn’t a very jobs-friendly state. Despite positive words from many state government leaders, the news coming from Grays Harbor is a harsh reminder that we need to do more to improve our business climate if we want existing businesses to survive and out-of-state companies to relocate here.

Business regulations continue to burden many employers. Just look at unemployment insurance. Weyerhaeuser pays $126 per employee at its Louisiana operations. Here in Washington, the company pays $854 per worker.

Workers’ compensation costs have skyrocketed over the last few years, with average increases in premiums of 29.5 percent in 2003, 9.8 percent in 2004 and 3.8 percent in 2005.
 

Washington has lost more than 7,000 jobs in the wood products industry since just 2000 – 1,000 logging jobs, 3,300 jobs in wood product manufacturing, 1,500 sawmills jobs, and 1,300 jobs in paper manufacturing.

Instead of focusing on what’s best for Seattle, we need to concentrate on what’s best for smaller communities like Grays Harbor. We need to look for ways to bring more jobs to struggling communities.

In Aberdeen last night, I attended a special meeting of the Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations. At this meeting, I saw the disappointment and determination on the faces of citizens from that community. Their future is at stake. The people there aren’t looking at worker retraining or handouts. They want the chance to continue running these mills.
 

We need to provide them with more than just encouraging words. We need to help provide them with new jobs. To make that happen, we need to improve our state’s business climate.

 

Sen. Joyce Mulliken, R-Ephrata, serves the 13^th Legislative District.