It took 176 days, with two special sessions, including a few extra days tacked on at the end. And with so much riding on a number of outcomes, it was often frustrating to watch as deals were made, dashed and made again. But officials with many of the cities in Snohomish County are genuinely pleased and impressed — save for one significant exception — with what the Legislature accomplished this year.
The Snohomish County Cities group, affiliated with the Association of Washington Cities, this year fine-tuned its lobbying efforts and sought to speak with one voice before lawmakers. The effort, joined by assistance from groups like Economic Alliance Snohomish County, made its agenda clear but also helped get it passed by encouraging the county’s legislative delegation to meet regularly. Even when members of the delegation disagreed on issues, said Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling, the meetings at least furthered discussions and clarified positions.
The result, in the eyes of the cities’ leaders, included a significant win for the county’s transportation needs, funding of capital improvements that will support communities and enhance quality of life and restoration of crucial revenue sources for individual cities.
City officials seem ready to throw a parade for the transportation package alone. The session started out pretty bleak. The cities and Economic Alliance had outlined more than $1 billion in road and other projects that they felt were fair and necessary to support the aerospace and manufacturing employers in the county, as well as basic transportation. But the governor’s transportation budget identified only $80 million in projects for Snohomish County. Economic Alliance, the cities and others protested what looked like an oversight, and, thanks in part to earlier contacts with Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, and others, the final budget secured about $670 million in projects throughout the county.
Adding to that victory, said Mill Creek Council Member Mike Todd, was the Legislature’s granting of authority for Community Transit and Sound Transit to seek voter approval of separate tax packages. Community Transit this November will seek a sales tax increase to expand service and create a second Swift bus rapid transit line between Paine Field and Bothell’s Canyon Park. Sound Transit is expected to seek voter approval in 2016 for a tax package that will extend its Link light rail service to Everett.
The big project in the state capital budget for the county was $64.5 million for construction of a building for Washington State University’s University Center in Everett, but a number of projects will receive funding in the county, including: $3.38 million for the Stilly Valley Youth project for a new Boys &Girls Club and Little League fields in Arlington and recreation and trail facilities in Darrington; $1 million each for Boys &Girls Clubs in Granite Falls and Mukilteo; and in Edmonds, $1.25 million for the senior center, $1 million that, pending negotiations with the school district, would result in a civic playfield and grants to repair the roof of the Edmonds Center for the Arts.
Additional revenue from an improved economy also convinced lawmakers to restore tax revenue typically targeted for cities’ public safety spending that in recent years the state has kept for the general fund. Lynnwood, for example, said Mayor Nicola Smith, can expect about $161,500 in liquor tax revenues for the next two years, an amount that represents a restoration to its previous levels. Other cities will see similar shares.
The exception to the general satisfaction? The Legislature again zeroed out about $270 million meant for a public works assistance account, Tolbert and Todd said, which cities have previously used to readily take out low-interest loans to pay for sewer and road projects, rather than seeking bonds, which increases costs for the cities and taxpayers.
The cities see the assistance account as vital to necessary public works projects that cities are often mandated to complete. They will continue to make that case, Tolbert said. Restoration of the account will be at the top of the cities’ list next year when it again prepares to speak with a common voice to the Legislature.
Correction: An earlier version of this editorial gave an incorrect amount for the anticipated revenues from state liquor taxes for Lynnwood for the coming biennium. The amount shown is now correct.
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