Tag Archives: Rural Economic Development

Warnick plans Tuesday hearing on collaborative approach to Washington rural development

The chair of the Senate’s water-policy committee has responded to an anti-rural ruling from the state Supreme Court by filing legislation concerning the availability of water for new household wells. Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, has scheduled Senate Bill 5239 for a public hearing Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 8 a.m. before the Senate Agriculture, Water, Trade and Economic Development Committee.

Warnick says the high court’s recent Hirst decision would effectively halt development in many of Washington’s 39 counties, hitting rural areas the hardest. It would have a chilling effect on rural economic development by requiring local governments to make legal determinations of water availability – work already done by the state Department of Ecology – and sets up a situation where local jurisdictions and the state could be at odds issuing permits for small, household wells.

Her measure would support development in rural areas by limiting the factors that drive up the cost of obtaining water supplies for new-home construction.

 

“Water is already a critical issue for our state,” Warnick said. “This court decision makes our problems even worse and shows a real disconnect between the court and everyday Washingtonians. Many in rural communities around the state view this action as a war on rural Washington because so many people rely on these household wells that previously have never been an issue.”

In practice, the case requires counties with already limited resources to conduct costly studies on water availability for wells that have for decades been exempt due to the extremely low amounts of water used for household purposes. The costs of the studies, which could add thousands of dollars to the cost of homebuilding in rural areas, likely would be passed on to homeowners.

“We face a situation where people in rural areas who don’t have the luxury of hooking up to city water now have very few options,” Warnick said. “We are one Washington, but the realities faced by the communities I represent sometimes don’t get the attention they deserve. We are talking about families who will now have to pay tens of thousands of more dollars to get water because the state Supreme Court has taken decades of water law and turned it on its head.”

“I am hopeful that my bill will provide a collaborative approach, needed relief, and certainty in the wake of this bizarre court decision,” Warnick added.

 

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Growing industry gets boost from Warnick legislation

Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5603 during a formal ceremony Thursday. The new law, sponsored by Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, was introduced to meet the increasing popularity and demand for cottage foods such as baked goods, jams and fruit preserves. It increases the maximum amount of annual gross sales kitchen-to-consumer vendors may have, without losing their “cottage” status, from $15,000 now to $25,000 when the law changes in late July.

“This change in law is a boost for entrepreneurs across the state,” said Warnick. “We are giving the state Department of Agriculture needed flexibility in regulating these small businesses, and encouraging growth in this burgeoning industry. This legislation is good for rural economic development and can mean increased financial independence for families and more options for consumers. That is a winning situation for everyone.”

State law allows for the sale of foods directly to consumers from home kitchens licensed as cottage food operations by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

“I’m so happy that this bill is now law,” said Hannah Castro, local owner of a cottage food business, Hannah Bananas Cupcakes. “This allows me to expand my business while planning for future opportunities.”

Community economic revitalization bill adopted by Senate

Sen. Judy Warnick has been working for two years to boost rural economic development with changes to the Community Economic Revitalization Board. Today the Senate passed Senate Bill 5442 which makes needed changes to the Board’s requirements to improve competitiveness and spur economic growth.

The Board offers financing and grants to local jurisdictions but requires that entities receiving funding demonstrate that permanent private sector jobs created exceed the county median wage. This poses a problem for many rural areas with high paying industries in a portion of the county but other economically depressed areas.

“We have a situation where communities who could really benefit from this program cannot compete,” said Warnick, R-Moses Lake. “This bill will mean a significant difference for rural communities by allowing 25 percent of projects awarded to be exempt from the median wage provision. We should be promoting opportunities to increase jobs and this change will mean more economic opportunity for rural communities. There will be a strong mix of prevailing, median, and near median wage jobs as a result of this legislation.”

Last year, then Rep. Warnick’s bill passed both chambers of the Legislature only to be vetoed. That bill would have provided for 50 percent of the projects awarded to be exempted from the median wage provision.

“This will attract more jobs to our communities and we have engaged with numerous stakeholders to make sure that concerns are addressed. The governor, labor groups and the Department of Commerce have come out in support of this bill to improve our state’s economy.”