Feb. 2, 2007

Rep. Mike Armstrong

Preserving the Great American dream of home ownership

No one should be allowed to steal the Great American Dream of home ownership -- and certainly not government. However, that dream is quickly slipping away into a nightmare of excessive property taxes and regulations that make it impossible for first-time home buyers to afford a home and for existing home owners to keep their homes.

I've heard from many citizens very concerned about these issues. This year, I'm supporting a legislative package called "Four for Affordability."

This proposal would:

• Eliminate impact fees in areas where housing is not affordable for first-time buyers;
• Allow single-family residential development outside urban growth areas in localities where housing is not affordable for first-time buyers;
• Eliminate the state sales tax on construction labor and services in counties where housing is not affordable for first-time buyers; and
• Provide a tax exemption for property that has declined in value due to shoreline or growth management.

This is a first start to make homes affordable for middle-class buyers. However, we still need to do more to keep the lid on property taxes. The first place to begin is by reinstating Washington’s 1 percent property tax limit. The limit was approved by voters in 2001, but was struck down last summer by a Seattle judge on a technicality. I’m supporting a bill in the Legislature that would restore that limit and slow the growth of property tax increases.

If you would like to learn more about my proposals to lower property taxes and keep homes affordable, read my opinion editorial on my web site, "The time is now to restore and protect the dream of home ownership."

After my editorial on affordable housing was published Monday, Jan. 29, someone asked me how I could be for affordable housing but against the farm worker housing project under construction in East Wenatchee.

That's easy. I'm not against farm worker housing. I just believe, like many local people do, that the location -- between Northwest Cascade Avenue and Northwest Bates Avenue -- is not the right, compatible location for this 24-unit seasonal migrant apartment building. A more appropriate location would be north of town near the orchards where these workers are employed.

I'm also very concerned that our East Wenatchee neighbors were given no opportunity to discuss this project until it was well under way. The time to hold meetings on this project was BEFORE the first shovel turned dirt.

I recently met with Gov. Gregoire to see if we could get the migrant portion of this project put on hold. A few days later, her staffer told me, "It doesn't look like we're going be able to hold on it."

So now, I will be seeking ways to mitigate the impacts of that project on our local neighborhoods.

Imagine turning on the water faucet and nothing comes out. Think of what it would be like to do simple and necessary daily tasks – taking a shower, doing the laundry, washing dishes, preparing dinner – and there’s no water. It must be hauled in. This is rapidly what the citizens of Monitor are facing.

Domestic water in Monitor is currently obtained through several small public systems and a number of private wells. However, some wells are drying up and others have been contaminated by septic tanks. Production from a primary well serving a public system has significantly diminished, requiring water to be hauled in for users. Additional drilling of wells to search for water has proven useless. Several existing water supplies contain high concentrations of sulfur, forcing residents to use bottled water.

The only feasible solution is for Chelan County PUD to form a local utility district (LUD) to extend a water line from Wenatchee. A proposal is on the table to extend a line down Easy Street out to Monitor. This is about a $6.5 million project. And since the median household income for Monitor is about $35,000, I'm trying to secure as much grant money as possible to keep the costs down for local residents.

By and large, the citizens and businesses of Monitor are in favor of the project. The water would also feed the Monitor Park where migrant housing is located.

I've included the governor in discussions on this issue and she's very interested. I'm exploring several sources to secure about $2 million in state monies, including the WSARP (Water System Acquisition/Rehabilitation Program) which is a state grant fund. There's also a possibility I will be seeking an appropriation in the state's capital budget for other funds to pay for the Monitor water project.