Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 10, 1999
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
More than 20 percent of families live in poverty in much of Eastern Washington. In rural areas statewide, a "diploma deficit" robs individuals and their communities of a better chance to succeed in the economy of the 21st century, Locke said.
Data collected in a regional population survey last spring show the disparity in economic opportunity in rural Washington exists in many dimensions — from concentrations of poverty to levels of education and access to technology. The decline in farm prices and natural resource-based industries only makes matters worse for rural economies, Locke said.
"I’ve held two summits on rural economy issues and considered recommendations of the Joint Task Force on Rural Land Use and Economic Development," Locke said. "We’ve listened. We are proposing a rural development strategy that provides vital infrastructure, technical assistance, and opportunities for economic diversification. And now it’s time to act."
Locke said his proposals are designed to complement rural Washington’s agriculture and resource-based economy — not alter rural landscapes or lifestyles.
"Agriculture is a critical and fundamental part of Washington’s economy," Locke said. "My economic vitality proposal will help provide the infrastructure, work force, and technical assistance to help communities support agriculture. The same improvements that help attract new industries to rural Washington will strengthen the competitive position of agriculture and other businesses already operating in rural communities."
Locke said his $2.4 million Safe Food Initiative will benefit agriculture directly by funding research at Washington State University that will lead to new, value-added agricultural products and improvements in farm practices and food safety.
With results expected in two years, the initiative will help make Washington’s agriculture and resource products more competitive in domestic and world markets.
Locke said his 1999-01 education funding package helps rural Washington by dramatically increasing learning-assistance funds for schools with concentrations of at-risk students, providing new job-skills training through community colleges and offering Washington’s Promise Scholarships that ensure every student who meets state learning standards can go to college.
Locke’s proposals recognize the top need in rural communities is new infrastructure to attract and expand new business development. Locke’s budget would make a $73 million investment to fill the gap.
The Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) would administer a large part of that funding. It includes $30 million for rapid responses in making transportation improvements to support rural development in the 1999-01 biennium. In addition, $8 million would be made available through CERB for new types of infrastructure, such as improving telecommunications in rural Washington.
Those incentives, plus CERB funding for telecommunications infrastructure, can help rural Washington take advantage of the rapidly growing information-technology industry that is expected to create tens of thousands of new jobs in Washington over the next three years, Locke said.
The governor’s economic strategy for rural Washington also includes:
$29 million for salmon-preservation projects to remove barriers to fish passage, control stormwater pollution and acquire wetlands that contribute to salmon restoration.
$6 million for projects that help small communities improve water quality and clean up contaminated sites that could be developed.
$1.5 million for the Rural Opportunity Fund, a flexible grant program that helps communities design and carry out rural economic development projects.
$1 million to promote tourism in rural areas.
Expansion of the distressed-county sales tax credits that allows eligible counties to retain an additional .04 percent of sales tax revenue starting in January 2001.
Related Links:
- Percent of the Population Age 25 and Older Without High School Diploma
- Percent of the Population Age 25 and Older With a Bachelor's Degree or Higher
- Percent of Families in Poverty
- Percent of Households Using Computers to Communicate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 10, 1999
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Locke says it’s time to act on rural development strategy
OLYMPIA — New state population statistics underscore the need for action on a comprehensive economic development plan that helps rural Washington take a bigger bite of the state’s strong economy, Gov. Gary Locke said today.More than 20 percent of families live in poverty in much of Eastern Washington. In rural areas statewide, a "diploma deficit" robs individuals and their communities of a better chance to succeed in the economy of the 21st century, Locke said.
Data collected in a regional population survey last spring show the disparity in economic opportunity in rural Washington exists in many dimensions — from concentrations of poverty to levels of education and access to technology. The decline in farm prices and natural resource-based industries only makes matters worse for rural economies, Locke said.
"I’ve held two summits on rural economy issues and considered recommendations of the Joint Task Force on Rural Land Use and Economic Development," Locke said. "We’ve listened. We are proposing a rural development strategy that provides vital infrastructure, technical assistance, and opportunities for economic diversification. And now it’s time to act."
Locke said his proposals are designed to complement rural Washington’s agriculture and resource-based economy — not alter rural landscapes or lifestyles.
"Agriculture is a critical and fundamental part of Washington’s economy," Locke said. "My economic vitality proposal will help provide the infrastructure, work force, and technical assistance to help communities support agriculture. The same improvements that help attract new industries to rural Washington will strengthen the competitive position of agriculture and other businesses already operating in rural communities."
Locke said his $2.4 million Safe Food Initiative will benefit agriculture directly by funding research at Washington State University that will lead to new, value-added agricultural products and improvements in farm practices and food safety.
With results expected in two years, the initiative will help make Washington’s agriculture and resource products more competitive in domestic and world markets.
Locke said his 1999-01 education funding package helps rural Washington by dramatically increasing learning-assistance funds for schools with concentrations of at-risk students, providing new job-skills training through community colleges and offering Washington’s Promise Scholarships that ensure every student who meets state learning standards can go to college.
Locke’s proposals recognize the top need in rural communities is new infrastructure to attract and expand new business development. Locke’s budget would make a $73 million investment to fill the gap.
The Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) would administer a large part of that funding. It includes $30 million for rapid responses in making transportation improvements to support rural development in the 1999-01 biennium. In addition, $8 million would be made available through CERB for new types of infrastructure, such as improving telecommunications in rural Washington.
Those incentives, plus CERB funding for telecommunications infrastructure, can help rural Washington take advantage of the rapidly growing information-technology industry that is expected to create tens of thousands of new jobs in Washington over the next three years, Locke said.
The governor’s economic strategy for rural Washington also includes:
$29 million for salmon-preservation projects to remove barriers to fish passage, control stormwater pollution and acquire wetlands that contribute to salmon restoration.
$6 million for projects that help small communities improve water quality and clean up contaminated sites that could be developed.
$1.5 million for the Rural Opportunity Fund, a flexible grant program that helps communities design and carry out rural economic development projects.
$1 million to promote tourism in rural areas.
Expansion of the distressed-county sales tax credits that allows eligible counties to retain an additional .04 percent of sales tax revenue starting in January 2001.
Related Links:
- Percent of the Population Age 25 and Older Without High School Diploma
- Percent of the Population Age 25 and Older With a Bachelor's Degree or Higher
- Percent of Families in Poverty
- Percent of Households Using Computers to Communicate
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