Boeing Has Cities and State Going Bananas

What’s the hottest ED deal out there at the moment? How do you spell craziness? B-O-E-I-N-G.

According to recent news reports, states and communities will blanket Boeing with proposals today -- everything from $100 million in tax breaks in Palmdale, Calif., to decades of tax abatements in Michigan -- in the battle for the next U.S. manufacturing prize: the 7E7 jet.

Today is the deadline for any town, city or state to file proposals for Boeing's proposed 7E7 final assembly plant. While the process is clouded in secrecy, lawmakers are compiling perks to win the prestige and thousands of jobs that will accompany the project.

Here’s a preliminary rundown of whose going bananas for Boeing:

* California: The state plans to submit a collection of bids, including offers from Long Beach and Palmdale. Fresno is another candidate, according to The Fresno Bee, and Victorville is also interested, the city's local paper, the Daily Press reported.
* Texas: The state is also expected to file a group of bids, including proposals from Fort Worth and Brownsville. Other sites include El Paso, Houston, Harlingen and San Antonio, The Associated Press reported earlier this month.
*Michigan: The state will offer three sites. Sawyer International Airport and Willow Run Airport are both candidates, according to AP.
* Georgia: Gov. Sonny Perdue announced the state will make a bid for the factory, The Augusta Chronicle said.
* Ohio: Dayton, Toledo, Columbus and Youngstown-Warren are all potential sites, AP says.
* Arkansas: The state will propose four sites in three regions. Little Rock, Fort Smith, Blytheville and another site in northwest Arkansas are reportedly seeking the work, AP reported.
*Alabama is also developing a bid, AP reported.
* Illinois is preparing a proposal, according to the Chicago-Sun Times
* New Jersey: The southern New Jersey city of Millville is also making a bid for the plant, AP reported.
* Oklahoma
* North Carolina
* South Carolina
* Arizona

Article link.