Asking ain’t getting, so the old saying goes.
It’s the same with the Snohomish County Citizens Cabinet report on economic development.
County Executive Aaron Reardon put the group of business and community leaders together earlier this year so they could come up with a business plan for the county, a blueprint on how to attract and retain jobs here.
The cabinet released its report in August.
Some of the recommendations will take a while to come to fruition, such as bringing a four-year university to the county, but others were more immediate. One of those can-do-now proposals isn’t getting Reardon’s support.
The cabinet said the county should raise its property tax levy by 1 percent to pay for road repairs.
In his 2005 budget, Reardon didn’t request such a tax raise.
Now’s not the time, he said.
“What I heard when I came to Snohomish County is that we don’t trust our government,” Reardon said.
“When I ran my campaign, I clearly said that I would not push for an increase in taxes until people could see exactly what it was that we were doing, and until we did things differently.
“I want people to feel comfortable and confident in their government before we ask for money,” he said.
Plan review: Have facts on floods? Any wisdom on wildfires? Info on earthquakes?
The county plans two meetings this month on its draft natural hazards mitigation plan. It hopes citizens will weigh in on the plan, which looks at ways to reduce or remove natural hazards in the county.
The first meeting will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at Kent Prairie Elementary School, 8110 207th St. NE in Arlington. The second will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at Sultan Community Center, 319 Main St. in Sultan.
Help wanted: Snohomish County is looking for candidates who want to serve on the county’s Civil Service Commission. Applicants should have a background in law enforcement and have lived in the county at least two years. The application deadline is Nov. 10.
The three-member commission meets once a month to review appeals on the hiring process for sheriff deputies. With a Republican and an independent already on board, the county is searching for a Democrat for a term that runs through 2006. Contact Connie Mennie in the county executive’s office, 425-388-3876, for a nomination form.
Claim of the week: A Snohomish man wants $848 from the county to remove yellow paint that splashed onto his 1994 Chevy Astro van when he drove across double divider lines while the paint was still wet.
Next week: The county council plans a hearing Wednesday on the 2005 county budget.
How you can get involved: The hearing will be 1:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. in the Jackson Boardroom on the sixth floor of the County Administration Building.
Reporter Brian Kelly covers county government for the Herald. He can be reached at 425-339-3422 or kelly@heraldnet.com .
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