The Port of Seattle CEO is performing below the expectations of many taxpayers.

The simple fact that the CEO has enough time on his hands to perform a second job raises a simple question. Should that $366,825 position be abolished as not needed?

What would be the cost to taxpayers be if every city manager, police chief or senior position and so forth within the state started taking bonus jobs using the same logic.? Suppose the governor started selling cars over the weekend or sold expediting services to pass favored bills?

The Port of Seattle still operates at a loss and expends over $80 million King County property tax dollars to remain in business. Could the County find a better use for those property tax dollars?

The logic for the move has been poorly researched. For example, Expeditors International is credited as stating: "The Company mainly deals with cargo shippers, AIRLINES and shipping lines, they say, NOT PORTS."!!!

Surely Expeditors and the Port of Seattle must be well aware that over two thirds of the POS business is from Sea-Tac Airport which directly conflicts that research.

Why haven't the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma CEO's encouraged merger or developed a partnership?

I have sat in on a couple of merger discussions and neither CEO came prepared to the meetings with any kind of incentives.

The combined salaries of the Seattle and Tacoma CEO's will be $816,825 per year to manage two identical ports. Why?

Dan Caldwell
Des Moines