By Bryan Corliss
Herald Writer
The state House of Representatives considered Thursday the last pieces of a package of bills intended to make the state more attractive to business.
"We’ve made some real headway here," said Rep. Aaron Reardon, the Everett Democrat who headed the party’s effort to get the bills through the House. "It’s the first time in seven years we’ve made any progress toward any economic development package."
The legislation was spawned by recommendations of a competitiveness council formed last year after the Boeing Co. announced it was moving its headquarters to Chicago and made complaints about the state’s business climate. The council, which included Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Alan Mulally, called for improvements in the state’s regulatory and tax systems.
Some of the recommendations have been implemented by executive orders from Gov. Gary Locke, Reardon said. But others required legislative action, and those bills moving through the Legislature now are those that reasonably could be passed during this year’s 60-day session.
Some of the changes are small, Reardon said. But in sum they streamline businesses taxes and permitting procedures, and provide funding for local economic development projects.
The legislation is very much in line with what the Snohomish County business community is looking for, said Diana Dollar, the Snohomish County Economic Development Council’s policy analyst.
The council is working on local permit streamlining rules that would dovetail with those proposed at the state level, she said.
By Thursday evening, the House already had approved:
You can call Herald Writer Bryan Corliss at 425-339-3454
or send e-mail to corliss@heraldnet.com.
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