“That won’t continue to grow without some concerted efforts and partnership,” Eric ffitch, executive director of the Washington Public Ports Association, told the state Senate’s Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee on Oct. 30.
Lacking such a competitive strategy has put the state’s economy at a disadvantage — particularly when the president has ratcheted the effective tariff rate with other nations to 18%, the highest level in nearly a century.
Ferguson knows how vital trade is to Washington. Speaking to the Northwest Seaport Alliance on Oct. 29, he noted the alliance’s Seattle and Tacoma docks often receive “discretionary” cargo that could be shipped elsewhere if another port makes a better business case. “We can’t take this gateway for granted,” he said.
On behalf of state leaders, businesses and labor, the governor spearheaded filing an amicus brief in a case before U.S. Supreme Court over the legality of Trump’s tariffs, and whether the president is overreaching the powers of Congress. The court heard arguments Wednesday.
But Ferguson’s tenacity in challenging the Trump administration should also translate to equal fervor to make Washington ports competitive. He should not only support a statewide trade strategy but marshal the weight of state government to get behind the effort.
Given budget challenges awaiting the Legislature when it convenes in January, the governor warned that tax incentives for ports and state funding for infrastructure is likely out of the question. But he can support ports and their partners on their own initiatives, such as the seaport alliance’s support for an eastern Washington logistics center connected by rail to the Puget Sound ports. He can also use trade missions and form international relationships that open more markets for Washington’s vast array of exports.
For the moment, there’s some trade war relief. Trump halved punitive tariffs on China — the largest importer of Washington state goods — to 10%, following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. But whether the détente will last is an open question. Also, the $50-a-ton fee the administration imposed on China-built container ships docking at U.S. ports was suspended for a year.
Also encouraging: The U.S. Senate — including all Democratic members and a handful of Republicans — voted to reject Trump’s punitive tariffs, including those on Canada. The U.S. House, under the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson, remains shuttered and won’t take up the same vote.
Regardless, this state’s leaders still have influence over the fate of our trade-driven economy. Inaction today means backsliding tomorrow. It’s time for Washington’s port officials, industry leaders and elected lawmakers to redouble their efforts to put muscle behind shared goals and a vision to move Washington’s economy forward.
TNS
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