Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 28, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke Imposes Sanctions on Snohomish County for Growth Management Act Violations

Gov. Gary Locke today notified state treasurer Mike Murphy and Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon that he will impose sanctions on Snohomish County because of county’s ongoing unwillingness to comply with the orders of the Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board.

“It was my desire to avoid the imposition of sanctions and work together on a solution,” Locke said. “However, the county council has failed to address the order of the hearings board. I believe the county has the ability to come into compliance and address the issues raised by the board.”

According to the letter to Murphy, sanctions would be imposed beginning March 1, 2005, if Snohomish County remains in non-compliance with the board’s orders. The sanction would be the withholding of Snohomish County’s portion of the motor vehicle fuel tax. In 2003, these funds totaled $8,866,000. State law allows the governor to select from a number of possible revenue sources when considering sanctions.

“Because of the way the motor vehicle fuel tax is used by counties, the sanction will have the least impact on the people of the county, when compared to other available sanction options,” Locke said. “We do not intend to punish the people of Snohomish County; we would simply like the council to comply with the order of the board.”

Other possible revenues that could have been withheld include transportation improvement funds, urban arterial funds, sales and use taxes, and the liquor profit and excise taxes.

Snohomish County may continue to pursue its appeal of the hearings board’s decision. The results of that appeal may require modification of these sanctions.

In June 2004, the Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board recommended that the governor impose sanctions on Snohomish County because of the county’s continuing non-compliance. In a letter to Snohomish County Council Chair John Koster in July 2004, Locke urged the county to use legislative tools at their disposal to come into compliance and avoid sanctions. The council did not act on Locke's request.

The specific issue of concern to the board was the county’s repeated attempts to change the protected status of agricultural lands and include them in the Arlington Urban Growth Area. This area, known as Island Crossing, has been the focus of legal challenges since 1996. In 1998, the state Court of Appeals ruled that Snohomish County could not change the protected status of the agricultural lands in the Island Crossing area.

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