County’s goals are aimed at growth

  • By Mike Benbow / Herald Columnist
  • Sunday, August 22, 2004 9:00pm
  • Business

The economic plan for Snohomish County released Thursday by a group selected by Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon looks good.

Strike that, it looks very good as a comprehensive way to boost the county’s economy without abandoning safeguards aimed at protecting our environment.

If you haven’t seen the report, here’s a quick summary of some of the recommendations:

* Regulations must be streamlined to save developers time and money and to make the development process predictable. This would include making simple building permits available in a day, eliminating redundant paperwork and improving county technology so that many things can be done online.

* Farmers need to have predictability with regulations as well, and also need many more options, such as improvements in what they’re permitted to do to make money while living in an agricultural zone.

* Fees should cover costs of things such as handling garbage and should be raised incrementally rather than waiting until increases are long overdue and adopting dramatically higher fees for county services.

* The county should try to coordinate its tax structure with the cities and the state.

* Road projects are underfunded. The county should raise the road portion of the property tax the full 1 percent that’s allowed each year.

* Paine Field should be further developed. Provide money to support construction of a National Flight Interpretive Center there as a major tourist attraction near the Boeing Co.’s Everett plant. And passenger air service should be started at Paine.

* We need a four-year college and also workforce development training.

I’ve left a lot of stuff out, but you can read the report in its entirety by visiting www.co. snohomish.wa.us and looking for the item called citizens cabinet report.

The content is pretty interesting, but it’s all meaningless unless county officials take action, using it as a true blueprint rather than just letting it sit on the shelf with all the other studies.

Reardon promised he won’t let any grass grow before he starts taking action.

He intends to send out an executive order out this week telling his planning department staff and others to take action on regulation reform.

He said that’s essential if the county is to become more competitive in the region.

Reardon said he found no surprises in the report and added that the group did just what he hoped it would in developing a specific plan of action.

“They went a little farther than I asked,” Reardon said. “There are some positive things and some things that people are not going to like seeing.”

Under the latter category, Reardon said Mukilteo-area residents aren’t going to like the Paine Field recommendations.

Reardon himself appears to have shifted his views slightly on Paine – moving from someone who didn’t really want passenger service there to someone now willing to consider it.

He basically says that the county needs to have serious discussions about passenger service with residents.

Connie Niva, co-chairwoman of the group, believes the report won’t sit on the shelf.

She said committee members expect action on their work.

“I’ve spent a lot of my life sitting on committees and making recommendations that don’t happen and I think that’s not what’s going to happen here,” said Niva, a former member of the Everett City Council and the state Transportation Commission and a current member of the Washington State University board of trustees.

Niva said she expects periodic reports from Reardon and said those progress reports should be up on the Internet with the original recommendations.

That will allow all of us to see what’s happening and to put our two cents in.

I plan on keeping an eye on the progress, and I recommend that you do, too.

Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459; benbow@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

A closing sign hangs above the entrance of the Big Lots at Evergreen and Madison on Monday, July 22, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Big Lots announces it will shutter Everett and Lynnwood stores

The Marysville store will remain open for now. The retailer reported declining sales in the first quarter of the year.

George Montemor poses for a photo in front of his office in Lynnwood, Washington on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.  (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Despite high mortgage rates, Snohomish County home market still competitive

Snohomish County homes priced from $550K to $850K are pulling in multiple offers and selling quickly.

Henry M. Jackson High School’s robotic team, Jack in the Bot, shake hands at the 2024 Indiana Robotics Invitational.(Henry M. Jackson High School)
Mill Creek robotics team — Jack in the Bot — wins big

Henry M. Jackson High School students took first place at the Indiana Robotic Invitational for the second year in a row.

The computer science and robotics and artificial intelligence department faculty includes (left to right) faculty department head Allison Obourn; Dean Carey Schroyer; Ishaani Priyadarshini; ROBAI department head Sirine Maalej and Charlene Lugli. PHOTO: Arutyun Sargsyan / Edmonds College.
Edmonds College to offer 2 new four-year degree programs

The college is accepting applications for bachelor programs in computer science as well as robotics and artificial intelligence.

FILE — Boeing 737 MAX8 airplanes on the assembly line at the Boeing plant in Renton, Wash., on March 27, 2019. Boeing said on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, that it was shaking up the leadership in its commercial airplanes unit after a harrowing incident last month during which a piece fell off a 737 Max 9 jet in flight. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)
Federal judge rejects Boeing’s guilty plea related to 737 Max crashes

The plea agreement included a fine of up to $487 million and three years of probation.

Neetha Hsu practices a command with Marley, left, and Andie Holsten practices with Oshie, right, during a puppy training class at The Everett Zoom Room in Everett, Washington on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Tricks of the trade: New Everett dog training gym is a people-pleaser

Everett Zoom Room offers training for puppies, dogs and their owners: “We don’t train dogs, we train the people who love them.”

Andy Bronson/ The Herald 

Everett mayor Ray Stephenson looks over the city on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2015 in Everett, Wa. Stephanson sees  Utah’s “housing first” model – dealing with homelessness first before tackling related issues – is one Everett and Snohomish County should adopt.

Local:issuesStephanson

Shot on: 1/5/16
Economic Alliance taps former Everett mayor as CEO

Ray Stephanson will serve as the interim leader of the Snohomish County group.

Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville, Washington will close on Jan. 28. (Photo courtesy of Molbak's)
After tumultuous year, Molbak’s is being demolished in Woodinville

The beloved garden store closed in January. And a fundraising initiative to revitalize the space fell short.

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin, Advanced Manufacturing Skills Center executive director Larry Cluphf, Boeing Director of manufacturing and safety Cameron Myers, Edmonds College President Amit Singh, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, July 2 celebrating the opening of a new fuselage training lab at Paine Field. Credit: Arutyun Sargsyan / Edmonds College
‘Magic happens’: Paine Field aerospace center dedicates new hands-on lab

Last month, Edmonds College officials cut the ribbon on a new training lab — a section of a 12-ton Boeing 767 tanker.

Gov. Jay Inslee presents CEO Fredrik Hellstrom with the Swedish flag during a grand opening ceremony for Sweden-based Echandia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Swedish battery maker opens first U.S. facility in Marysville

Echandia’s marine battery systems power everything from tug boats to passenger and car ferries.

Helion Energy CEO and co-founder David Kirtley talks to Governor Jay Inslee about Trenta, Helion’s 6th fusion prototype, during a tour of their facility on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
State grants Everett-based Helion a fusion energy license

The permit allows Helion to use radioactive materials to operate the company’s fusion generator.

People walk past the new J.sweets storefront in Alderwood Mall on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Japanese-style sweets shop to open in Lynnwood

J. Sweets, offering traditional Japanese and western style treats opens, could open by early August at the Alderwood mall.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.