Nat Nehring provided us an update on what is going on in County Government. He represents northern Snohomish County including Arlington, Marysville and Stanwood.

 

Snohomish County is bucking the trend of raising taxes to finance government. In fact, with the current robust economy, the county has been able to increase its rainy day reserve fund.  The County Executive proposes an annual budget each September, now over $1 billion, that must be approved by the Council after hearings, usually in November for the next calendar year.  Services include sheriff, roads, parks, elections, tax collections and the courts.  Only about 13% of taxes collected goes for County services.

 

With regards to growth, the Puget Sound Regional Council did an estimate regarding growth in the county, vision 2050.  The cities and the county then plan as to where the growth can be accommodated.  It is estimated that we will need to provide for 250,000 more people in the County within the next two decades.  Unfortunately the infra structure lags behind, mainly because of the time it takes to secure funding, and the process of getting the projects funded.  Developers do pay mitigation fees to help with roads, parks and schools.  Funding usually involves partnerships between the state, county and cities.  All the jurisdictions chip in.  

 

$1 billion has been secured fot the US 2 trestle.  About $160 million has been secured for county projects including a new interchange at I-5 and SR 529 and widening 172nd (SR 531).  

 

North Snohomish County, with the effort of officials from Arlington and Marysville, has been successful in creating an industrial center of approximately 4,000 acres. it was recently named the Cascade Industrial Center.Through lobbying the State Legislature, businesses that choose to locate within the Center will get tax breaks, making it more attractive. It is one of only 10 such industrial centers in the Puget Sound Region. The tax breaks are for businesses with 25 or more jobs with minimum pay of at least $18 per hour.

 

The expansion of Paine Field to handle commercial flights has also made the area more attractive for business.  Currently there is a limitation of 23 flights a day.  The terminal is owned privately on airport property, leased to the owner. Private ownership helped greatly in getting the facilities completed in a timely manner. Currently Alaska Airlines and United has flights.  It was just announced that starting in November Alaska will offer flights to Spokane.

 

The County is also in a partnership to train skilled workers with school districts, EvCC, state and cities.  It is a pre-apprentice program with an eye towards post high school training.  Unions and businesses also cooperate in the program.  Over 30 students enrolled, with Arlington School District leading in number of students.  The state allocated $1.5 million for the program and the county $200,000.

 

With regards to the opioid epidemic and homelessness issues, Snohomish County and cities have teamed law enforcement with embedded social works.  The social workers are out in the field with the goal of breaking the cycle of homelessness, mental health and/or drug dependency.  If drug abusers are not willing to seek treatment, then they are held accountable.  In some cases it takes some time in jail before an abuser is willing to get help. Over 70 persons have completed the program.  Work Force helps with jobs and there is a task force working on housing issues.  The State has approved an allocation of sales taxes collected to for low income housing, without any increase in taxes.

 

The county through land planning has rejected the location of injection sites within the unincorporated area of the County.  Nat personally took a trip to see how the sites were working in Vancouver, B.C.  He was appalled by what he saw on the sidewalks in the way of drug abuse outside of the supervised injection site.