Most people throughout Snohomish County, not just those who live in the Snohomish River Valley, are not keen on having their tax dollars used to expand the profitability of Harvey Field, a private corporation owned by Kandace Harvey. They are not in love with the concept of corporate welfare. They will not be thrilled to see signs erected when construction begins shouting, “Watch your tax dollars at work.” Yet, if the expansion of Harvey Field is given the go-ahead by FEMA, Harvey will receive millions of taxpayers’ dollars in the form of unrefundable grants. The welfare for the Harvey Corporation will come from taxes paid by everyone throughout the state.
The Snohomish County Council has already done Harvey’s bidding and passed a motion directing the county executive to make a formal request of FEMA to change flood maps for the Snohomish River Valley, the last obstacle to the planned expansion of her runway into the flood plain. All Harvey needs is the stamp of approval from FEMA, that agency that did such a good job of protecting the victims of Katrina, to make the Harvey Field expansion a fait accompli.
There is something we might all do that might prevent this boondoggle. What the old council has done can be undone by the new council. You can express your opposition, asking the council to rescind the motion directing the executive to make the request to FEMA to change the flood maps. The map is based on the actual behavior of the Snohomish River flood water during floods that have and will continue to occur every 10 to 15 years. After all, it is unlikely that the laws of nature will change to conform with changes made to accommodate the expansion of Harvey’s private airport.
J. MURRAY KLEIST
Snohomish
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