In an effort to control urban sprawl our state Legislature in 1990 passed the Growth Management Act. One tool for implementing the GMA is the use of mitigation fees. These are designed to charge new development only for the proportional share of capital cost needed to serve any new development.
In 1996, each new single-family house cost on average $20,000 to $30,000 to provide public infrastructure. Water, sewerage, parks, roads, libraries, school and recreation are all part of this infrastructure. Since 1990 developers and developer interests have successfully fought the implementation of these fees. Only a small fraction of actual development costs are being assessed.
Along with subsidizing developers, taxpayers are paying even higher prices in overcrowded schools, traffic congestion, rising crime rates, higher taxes and higher cost of living. Contrary to popular belief, single- and multi-family residences actually cost the public more in infrastructure than the taxes that are collected. The community is faced with a shortfall because, politically, mitigation fees have been reduced. Is it any wonder that our parks are being closed, kids are crammed into portables, traffic is unbearable and taxes are raised? Or that debt, in the form of more and more municipal bonds, and facility maintenance deficits are on the rise, while police and fire services are being reduced?
Former county councilman Dave Somers dedicated himself to bringing balance to Snohomish County. Sadly, the new Republican majority once again reduced recommended mitigation fees. Maybe there is a reason. Check the Public Disclosure Commission’s Web site (www.pdc.wa.gov) and type in the names of any councilman and look for the C 3 forms. Many contributions, especially over $100, come from development interests, often outside the county. The larger contributors include timber, sand and gravel, real estate, logging and building companies, business park developers, bankers and builders. You may wish to advise your councilman that your tax dollars should no longer subsidize the development community.
Snohomish
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