AWC Legislative Priorities: Cities Seek Flexible Solutions

Cities are the backbone of our state, providing the services that create a high quality of life for the majority of our citizens: police and fire protection, parks and open space, libraries, clean drinking water, sewer systems, sidewalks, street lights and safe streets and bridges.

The fundamental services our cities provide are also the building blocks for constructing a strong state economy.

But now many of Washington’s cities are stretched to the breaking point. Cities and towns have already made the tough choices to keep the services that citizens say are most important.

KEY FACTS ABOUT CITIES 61% of the state’s population lives in cities, 54.5% more than in 1990. Cities are the foundation of economic development; businesses in cities generate 90% of the state’s GDP. Cities employ 67% of local law enforcement and 65% of fire personnel in Washington. Nearly every trip in the state begins or ends on a city street and 73% of street improvements are financed locally.

Improvements and maintenance for streets, bridges, parks, sewers and water systems can only be delayed so long before costs skyrocket. And at a time when our cities need to be investing in their infrastructure to promote greater economic development for the future, many are forced to just plug the short-term gaps and focus every available dollar on other critical services.

Our cities have risen to meet these challenges head-on—finding new options to fund services and making the difficult choices to cut staff and programs, delay infrastructure investments and spend down precious reserve funds.

City officials recognize there is no one-size-fits-all solution to their challenges. Mitigating these issues calls for flexible solutions that allow cities of all sizes to meet the needs of their citizens and continue to provide the economic activity that serves as the basis for a strong statewide economy.

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