With the end of the 2024 Legislative Session, wrap-up meetings in the communities have begun. Both the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Pasco Chamber of Commerce have legislator meetings scheduled in May. The legislators themselves have also begun to plan their own town hall meetings. The first have been announced by the delegation from the 16th Legislative District, which includes portions of Benton, Walla Walla and Columbia counties. Senator Dozier, Representatives Rude and Klicker invite you to attend one of their three town hall meetings. Meetings will be held:
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Congratulations to Therapeutic Riding of Tri-Cities (TROT) on their ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating their new office addition. TROT is located at 104 E. 41st Pl. in Kennewick. At the State of the Ports Membership Luncheon on February 28, the three local ports - Port of Benton, Port of Kennewick, and Port of Pasco - all gave presentations on what was happening in their respective areas.
Here are some highlights from each of the ports, as well as a link to their State of the Port video, which does a great job in outlining all of the ongoing projects as well as celebrating the recent accomplishments. Port of Benton The Port of Benton has completed some great projects over the past few years and has many more in the works. Among the upcoming projects planned for the Port of Benton include Prosser & Richland Airport upgrades and upgrades to rail crossings. A couple of industrial projects include the VERTical Innovation Cluster and a Green Fertilizer Plant, a project by Atlas Agro. Here is a link to their 2024 update video. Port of Kennewick The Port of Kennewick recently received the Smart Communities Award from the Governor’s Office for its work on Clover Island. The future of the Port of Kennewick includes some very nice developments around Vista Fields. Vista Fields is destined to become a walkable, lively district where residents, business owners, and visitors can gather and interact. Check out their update video here. Port of Pasco The Port of Pasco is an exciting hub of activity in the northeast Tri-Cities. The Tri-Cities airport is growing, and American Airlines just added nonstop service to Phoenix, adding to the ever-growing number of destinations available. Future plans include an Aerospace Innovation & Manufacturing (AIM) Center, a new 300-acre industrial park, and a 500,000 square foot Darigold facility. You can see their update video here. There are lots of great things happening in the Tri-City Area, all aimed at keeping the economic climate vibrant and growing. During the 2023-2024 legislative session, there were nearly 4,000 bills introduced into the Washington State Legislature by the 147 legislators that represent the citizens of Washington State. Some bills were recommended by government agencies, some encouraged by the Governor, but most were filed by legislators to satisfy a need.
It is a daunting process for a bill to become a law. There are committees, hearings, caucus meetings, and then floor votes. Once a bill is through one chamber it starts all over again until it is finally signed by the governor. Of the nearly 4,000 bills introduced, less than 1,000 ran the gauntlet and made it to the finish line. The 12 legislators in the Tri-City region managed to get a combined 41 bills through during the two-year biennium. Here are a few examples:
The 2024 Tri-Cities Legislative Council achieved success on four out of their six legislative priorities. These accomplishments encompassed several key initiatives:
The first was the Energy Northwest Advanced Small Nuclear Reactor Project: Funding was secured, resulting in a $25 million fund. This is a big win for the region. A pilot project, a Circular Industrial Symbiosis Park in Pasco, received funding for a feasibility study. Additionally, a green fertilizer work group was funded to explore the creation of a manufacturing facility in the Tri-Cities. Columbian Basin College was awarded funds to create the Hospitality Center of Excellence. The center will convene partners to develop relevant credentials, promote paid work experience and provide the opportunity to collaborate with others within the industry. Regrettably, two priorities did not reach fruition House Bill 1981 and House Bill 2120, both sponsored by Representative Barnard were unable to pass both the House and the Senate this session. House bill 1981 would have supported growth in the nuclear and manufacturing industry while furthering the state’s decarbonization initiatives. House Bill 2120 would have extended the Targeted Urban Property Tax exemption which would encourage additional manufacturing investment in Richland. Thanks to everyone who attended Business After Hours at Goose Ridge Winery on Thursday, March 14! We hope you left with some valuable new business connections. As previously stated in our February 20th update, three initiatives were going to be heard in public hearings before the Washington State legislator. That left three initiatives unsettled.
Those first three initiatives were heard and both the House and the Senate subsequently passed all three initiatives. This action automatically passes the initiatives into law. What’s next for the other three initiatives? Initiative 2117, known as the “Prohibit Carbon Tax Credit Trading and Repeal Carbon Cap-and-Invest Program Measure” would prohibit state agencies from implementing any cap and trade or cap and tax programs. Additionally, it seeks to repeal the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act (CCA), which established a cap and invest program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 95% by 2050. The CCA's program incentivized businesses to lower emissions by allowing them to sell remaining carbon emission allowances to other companies. Initiative 2124, pertains to state long-term care insurance. The measure proposes that employees and self-employed individuals must actively choose to retain coverage under RCW 50B.04, with the option to opt out at any time. Additionally, it seeks to repeal an existing law related to exemptions for employees. The initiative aims to provide consumer choice regarding long-term care insurance and addresses concerns about affordability, adequacy, and solvency of the current program. Initiative 2109, a citizens’ initiative, seeks to safeguard economic freedom by repealing the controversial capital gains income tax imposed by lawmakers in 2021. This tax, which disproportionately affects individuals with annual capital gains exceeding $250,000, has been widely criticized as unconstitutional and burdensome. By voting in favor of I-2109, Washington residents can encourage investment, protect small businesses, and ensure that hardworking taxpayers retain more of their earnings. Each of these three initiatives will appear on the November general ballot. If these initiatives are passed the initiatives become law. Thanks to everyone who attended or presented at our first Small Business Resource Fair on March 6. We hope that you left with some valuable new connections! TOD, an answer for affordable housing?Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business, and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. In Washington State, TOD is seen as a key solution to the state's massive housing shortage.
Recent bills introduced into the Washington State legislature would limit a city or county’s ability to enact or enforce new development regulations within certain transit hub parameters. They would also require a certain percentage of new units be set aside as affordable housing. Counties and cities would also face additional restrictions on parking requirements. As for affordable housing, TOD can indeed contribute to it. However, it's important to note that while TOD can drive up property prices and accelerate gentrification, this can be offset by allocating a significant portion of the new development to affordable housing. When low-income households are priced out of TOD areas, the cost savings of living in a more affordable area can be offset by higher transportation expenses associated with automobile dependency. Therefore, the inclusion of affordable housing in TOD is crucial to ensure that the benefits of such developments are accessible to residents of all income levels. The most recent bill before the Washinton State legislature (E2SHB 2160) is currently in the Senate Ways & Means Committee waiting for a chance at the Senate floor. There is only about a week for the bill to proceed. Thanks to everyone who participated in or attended the State of the Ports Membership Luncheon on February 28! Port of Benton Executive Director Diahann Howard, Port of Kennewick Chief Executive Officer Tim Arntzen, and Port of Pasco Executive Director Randy Hayden delivered updates on the latest news and projects from their respective organizations, including Vista Field, Washington VERTical, the Reimann Industrial Center, and more. |
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