Roads turn to gravel; snow piles up on Fairwood Boulevard through the heart of one of Fairwood’s premiere residential areas.
They are signs – dramatic ones – that how this state pays for essential road services in urban areas outside cities is not working. And it’s a sign that King County absolutely needs to get out of the business of providing urban services. In the case of roads, a dwindling tax base and voter-approved initiatives are forcing the county to make difficult choices about which ones to maintain, if at all.
Renton remains at an epicenter of this ongoing drama about how to best manage growth in Washington state and pay for that growth. The county’s road problem could someday become Renton’s through annexations. Who would pay for the bills then? Look in the mirror. But also remember that those new neighbors pay taxes, too, that will help pay the way.
Renton won’t have to worry about plowing Fairwood Boulevard anytime soon. Fairwood twice said no to annexing to Renton and the city is looking at much smaller annexations on its eastern borders that make financial sense.
Then there’s West Hill. Renton has some obligations there, if it chooses to honor them. West Hill is one of city’s potential annexation areas, just like Fairwood. In essence the city signaled years ago that if asked by voters, it would annex them.
The difference is West Hill residents have yet to vote on annexing. How their roads are maintained – or not maintained – by the county should weigh on their minds when they vote early next year – if they’re given the chance.
That spectre of deteriorating roads could certainly push West Hill farther down the path to joining Renton.
County Executive Dow Constantine on Monday didn’t mention the roads he can’t fix as a compelling reason to annex, but it’s surely on his mind. And in turn it puts more pressure on Renton city leaders to ultimately let West Hill annex. Fix roads now, or fix them later, when the costs would be even higher.
Constantine knows how to play the budget game and get the public on his side, with such images as crumbling roads and snow-clogged commutes. When it comes to government budgeting, plead your case early and often and create images that catch people’s attention.
But he’s also right a solution must be found to paying for road maintenance in rural areas where by design there are fewer people and thus less money to maintain infrastructure. All those millions of trips on county roads aren’t being made by those who live on them.
Renton should take a lead in finding that solution, because, as they say, it has skin in the game. And it’s always best to have a seat at any negotiating table, to protect your interests.
