Guest View

Environmental Assessments are scheduled for completion sometime this month, curiously Public Hearing dates have not been announced.

We anticipate they are likely to occur in December while everyone is busy with Holiday activities.

SOC encourages you to be vigilant and contact elected officials by e-mail if you are unable to attend these important meetings.

Remind officials that we learned from their own attorneys, Kaplan, Kirsch, and Rockwell during the 2006 MRD Review Panel Meetings they can negotiate in good faith and honor the longstanding MRD Agreement. There is absolutely no reason they should facilitate an agreement favorable to the airlines.

Now is not the time to spend taxpayer dollars on a terminal.

Already this year, county employees were asked to sacrifice salaries by taking 11 furlough days to prevent job losses.

Likewise, the Health District budget has experienced deep cuts for the third time this year, the most recent resulting in 25 employee layoffs.

Now, the Council faces monumental challenges with Executive Reardons 2010 proposed budget.

It requires further cuts: 12-15 furlough days for county employees and a 5.7 percent cut in wages to the Sheriffs department deputies, our first responders, and jail workers.

SOC continues to ask, why risk living wage jobs for Snohomish County? Why potentially disrupt Boeing operations by promoting and subsidizing scheduled commercial flights?

We want the high wage technical jobs that the aerospace industry brings. That's why Mayor Marine and SOC are encouraging the development of an "Aerospace Center of National Significance" and why we encourage renewed energy to attract aerospace suppliers and manufacturers to this area.

Your voice matters. Sign up today at www.socnw.org where youll find contact information to e-mail elected officials. Spend time reviewing the extensive information in our resource library and find out how you can get involved to help Save Our Communities!