King County executive backs tourism in Snoqualmie Valley
February 24, 2010
By Dan Catchpole
King County Executive Dow Constantine takes in restoration work at the Northwest Railway Museum during his tour of Snoqualmie Valley Feb. 17. Constantine stressed his support for developing the Valley’s economy, especially its tourist industry, during meetings with local leaders. (Photo by Dan Catchpole)
Dow Constantine tells local leaders he supports economic growth in rural areas
King County Executive Dow Constantine takes in restoration work at the Northwest Railway Museum during his tour of Snoqualmie Valley Feb. 17. Constantine stressed his support for developing the Valley’s economy, especially its tourist industry, during meetings with local leaders. (Photo by Dan Catchpole)
NEW — 6:10 a.m. Feb. 24, 2010
Maintaining money for human services, encouraging tourism, mitigating flooding risks and supporting transportation development were some of the issues local leaders discussed with King County Executive Dow Constantine during his Feb. 17 tour of the Snoqualmie Valley.
Almost three months after taking over as King County executive, Constantine visited North Bend, Snoqualmie, Carnation and Duvall as part of a campaign pledge to visit each of the county’s 39 cities and improve relations between the executive’s office and rural areas. Rather than simply talk, he wants to “build that communication and relationship through action,” he said to a room of civic leaders in Snoqualmie.
Looking for possible areas of action, Constantine committed his administration to supporting the Snoqualmie Valley’s tourism industry.
“Whatever I can do to help, I want to know so I can be there,” he told the Snoqualmie Valley Governments Association during dinner at TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge.
During the day, he asked several groups of local leaders what King County can do to help the Valley realize its potential as a tourist destination.
“This is not a destination. It’s a pass-through,” Paul Tredway told Constantine.
To become a destination, the Valley needs an anchor hotel, he said.
“We need King County’s support to make that happen,” Tredway said.
His administration would work on changes to the county code to encourage rural businesses “to provide good paying jobs in the Valley,” Constantine said.
In an effort to make the permitting process easier for development, Constantine said, he will be appointing a new director for King County’s Department of Development and Environmental Services.
While new development must be encouraged, the Valley’s existing character and attractions — from its historic downtowns to its miles of hiking trails — should be preserved, Constantine said.
Keeping the Mount Si Trailhead open will be critical to the Valley’s economy, he said after visiting the trailhead with North Bend city officials. The state Department of Natural Resources has said it will have to close facilities and cease maintenance on the trail — and the neighboring Little Si Trail — in March unless state legislators give it more money.
“It’s critical to keep some of these draws available,” Constantine said.
Like every public entity, King County is financially limited in what it can do, as it deals with falling tax revenue.
After saying taxes shouldn’t be raised during his campaign last fall, Constantine said his administration will take a “balanced approach” to resolving the county’s budget problems, meaning new taxes are a possibility.
“Clearly, we can’t cut enough to make up for the revenue deficits” without severely affecting people’s quality of life, he said.
The county could face $150 million in cumulative budget shortfalls in 2011 and 2012.
However, Constantine did not say he would act on a bill being considered by the state Senate that would allow counties to raise the sales tax 0.3 percent to raise money for public safety — cops and courts — without putting the measure on a ballot.
Local municipalities and public agencies are feeling the effects of the Great Recession.
“I heard at every stop about the need for human services,” which has been cut in the county’s current budget, Constantine said.
The Mount Si Senior Center in North Bend lost half of its county funding in the current budget, passed when Constantine was a member of the Metropolitan King County Council.
The county’s attention on flooding has been greatly focused on the danger of the Howard Hanson Dam failing, causing catastrophic flooding in the Green River Valley.
As that threat recedes, he said, the county would return resources to Snoqualmie River.
The county is beginning to raise $300 million over 10 years for the mitigation projects overseen by the King County Flood District, he said.
His administration is also working with regional and local partners on a long-term plan for animal control in the county, he said.
Before Constantine’s election in November, county interim director Kurt Triplett had committed the county to ending animal control services in January. But that date was pushed back by Constantine.
Local officials were happy with the visit and it was a change from the strained relations between the county’s rural areas and the executive’s office that existed when Ron Sims was in office.
“Since I’ve been here, we’ve never had a visit from the executive of this type,” despite North Bend’s many dealings with the county, city administrator Duncan Wilson said.
During his campaign, Constantine pledged to visit all of King County’s incorporated cities.
“That’s four cities down, only 35 to go,” he said to the crowd at TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge.
Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.
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