| |
Bailey bill would bring
economic development funding to Island County
10th District lawmaker’s efforts could result in
$80,000 for the county
Rep. Barbara Bailey
is sponsoring a bill that, if signed into law, would allow Island County
to receive $80,000 for use in local economic development.
House Bill 2527 received a public hearing Wednesday in the House
Community, Economic Development and Trade Committee. Bailey
testified that it was a necessary technical fix to legislation passed
last year that inadvertently excluded Island County from receiving
funding based on a definition of “rural county.”
Bailey’s measure would change that definition.
“House Bill 2527 would fix legislation from last year that relied on a
definition of ‘rural county’ that did not include Island County,” said
Rep. Bailey, R-Oak Harbor. “This is not only fair, but important
for Island County. The county’s economic development council could
really use this $80,000.”
Associate development organizations (ADOs) were created in 1985 as local
public-private partnerships that would complement state economic
development service delivery efforts under a cooperative model called
“Team Washington.”
“As Island County continues to battle the ramifications of disrupted
ferry services and markets its diverse products and tourism, these
economic development dollars would help,” said Rep. Bailey. “This
is a small bill in Olympia, but a big deal for Island County.”
ADOs are designated by counties and are statutorily required to be
broadly representative of community and economic interests, including
local governments, chambers of commerce, workforce development councils,
port districts, labor groups, higher education institutions and other
relevant groups. They support regional economic research and planning
efforts to implement strategies that support increased living standards
and foreign direct investment in the state.
Economic development is one of Bailey’s legislative priorities.
She serves as ranking Republican on the House Community, Economic
Development and Trade Committee, and is a member of the Washington
Economic Development Commission and Washington Tourism Commission.
House Bill 2527 was voted out of committee Thursday and is now in
the House Rules Committee for consideration for the House floor.
# # #
For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
|
|