Leaders must make economic plan reality

In just seven months, a highly credible group of 19 citizens has issued a blueprint for how Snohomish County government should promote economic development.

As coffee-table reading, the 35-page document isn’t much. As a roadmap to the county’s economic future, it’s a must-read for anyone who plans to spend their life here.

The final report of the Citizens Cabinet on Economic Development contains 28 specific recommendations in four areas: regulatory reform, taxes and fee structure, physical infrastructure and human capital. The cabinet, formed by county Executive Aaron Reardon shortly after he took office in January, was composed of representatives from business, education, farming, labor, health care, the legal and environmental communities and the Tulalip Tribes.

This varied group, with its wide range of viewpoints, came to consensus on each of its recommendations. By working toward a common goal – improving the county’s ability to compete economically – this group overcame self-interest and political differences to come up with a plan that should carry significant weight.

Some of the recommendations, including many in the regulatory reform area, can and should be implemented immediately. Eliminating redundant approvals for a variety of permits and licenses, for example, is a no-brainer. It’s the kind of barrier business leaders are used to seeking out and eliminating in the ongoing quest for greater efficiency.

It’s also an example of why the Citizens Cabinet’s recommendations should be heeded. They are an effort to have county government function like a business (albeit one that doesn’t seek to make a profit), becoming more efficient, flexible and accountable.

That’s just what voters have clamored for: government that spends tax dollars wisely and transparently. These recommendations complement Reardon’s new priority-based budgeting model, which promises to bring unprecedented clarity and discipline to county spending.

Some of the group’s proposals will meet with resistance. Neighbors of Paine Field will no doubt oppose a recommendation to start passenger air service there. That’s where leadership, from Reardon and the County Council, must carry the load to ensure that the county’s assets are used to their best economic advantage. At the same time, impacts to adjacent neighborhoods must be addressed.

Other recommendations require follow-up by state legislators and city officials. All of them should read the report and commit to making its proposals reality.

Reardon has vowed to check on the progress of these recommendations quarterly. We look forward to those updates. The work of the Citizens Cabinet is credible, workable and important. It mustn’t become a missed opportunity.

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