Historically small towns were established around commercial trade and service centers. Their purpose was to provide goods and services to a population nearby. They grew as the commercial activity or industry developed. In Snohomish County, many of our oldest cities sprouted at river crossings near agricultural activities. The market, mill or processing plant was in town. Around the “core employment business” were retail commercial shopkeepers and a work force for both as residences. That was a town. Without all three components, what do we have? Read the history of our county.
One important thing to remember about them was that as their industry flourished or failed, the city did the same. Today, ghost towns exist as a testament to long lost industry. We need to remember that without a business base, a town has little substance and is in jeopardy of blowing away. Even today with exploding population in small towns, a well supported business community is critical to community health. Failure to keep that concept high on the priority list will be disaster as we plan for the future.
If you listen to regional planners, they would have us believe that we can have thriving suburban cities without a base of private sector family wage employers. History doesn’t support that concept.
Public sector employers like school systems are often one of the largest employers in a community but they don’t produce sales tax or property tax revenue that pays for local government.
Sadly, many cities are drying up and blowing away because the mill (substitute your major private sector employer) has closed.
The percentage of the workers that have jobs producing a marketable product is getting smaller and smaller. Service sector and Public sector employers are increasing by percentage. Historically, a country is only as strong as its ability to produce durable goods. As we buy more and more consumer goods from foreign sources we undermine the foundation of our society.
Imagine how a community reacts when a major employer leaves town. The loss of employment plunges the town into recession. Retail businesses fold because they aren’t selling product to the former employees of the plant. Sales taxes and property tax revenues shrink and government services go away. This scenario has played out thousands of times in our country. All this because of the loss of family wage employers.
We need to make sure our leaders don’t lose sight of the importance of private sector family wage employers. Thriving businesses are the foundation of a successful community.
No Loss for Words 
Take Testimony – Deliberate – Vote!
by Steve DanaSeveral times during the past couple months, I’ve found myself in the audience of County Council meetings where elected officials were scheduled to deliberate following testimony and render a decision with a vote. Maybe it was a coincidence, but every meeting I attended, except one, took testimony and/or deliberated, but did not render a decision.
There was a recess in the proceedings and a follow-on meeting was scheduled for some date down the road where a decision would be made. That really gripes me!
In several instances, the audience numbered fifteen or more. Those people came to hear testimony, listen to deliberation and leave with a decision. Boy weren’t they disappointed!
I wouldn’t characterize this as a tactic, but anyone who has attended public meetings where there is a high probability of conflict has seen the same thing. Elected officials tend to avoid making decisions in the moment with citizens looking them in the eye. By putting off the decision, they must hope to wear the citizens down or punish them by forcing them to come back another time.
For those citizens that had to hire a consultant or an attorney, took time off from work, or had to drive a significant distance, handling the issue with one meeting is very desirable.
If the issue is really contentious and the testimony is lengthy it may require a continuance to complete the process, but unless they announce the possibility of a continuance in advance citizens are entitled to a decision.
Oh, I will grant that on occasion it takes an additional meeting to consider all the input from staff and public testimony. In those situations a carry-over may be warranted. But, not every time.
Even if it isn’t true, the appearance is that after a recess is called the council members talk about the issue “off the record” after leaving the room. They can say whatever they like, but in my experience, it is true.
I think if I were elected to the County Council, I would recommend that decisions be rendered before adjournment so nobody has to wonder about the legitimacy of the outcome. Elected officials should have to face the constituents and cast their vote in the light of day.
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