Light Industrial/Natural Resources Hubs

Overview | All cities | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Size – Small
Property value – Moderate
Commercial activity – Moderate
Growth – Low
Geography – East and west

Cluster characteristics
Population
Economic characteristics
Other community characteristics

Fiscal conditions
Major revenue base
General financial outlook

Bingen, Brewster, Cathlamet, Chewelah, Colfax, Conconully, Concrete, Coulee City, Elma, Forks, Goldendale, Ilwaco, Kalama, Montesano, Mossyrock, Newport, Othello, Pateros, Raymond, Republic, Ritzville, Roslyn, Springdale, St. John, Toledo, Uniontown

These communities, relying on natural resources and/or manufacturing for economic wellbeing, entered tough economic times long ago. With the loss of sales tax equalization, these communities experienced sharp revenue declines in the early part of the decade. Revenues have stabilized since then, but these cities are still suffering, while struggling to adapt to additional hardship in this recession. Most of these cities expect it to be increasingly difficult to meet needs in the coming years. More than half have reopened the 2009 budget in response to declining revenues, or expect to do so.

All data is recorded as median value for all cities in the cluster.

Data for individual cities may vary significantly in some categories.

Cluster Characteristics

Population

Average population size:

Year 1990 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Pop. 905 986 1,004 998 998 995 998 1,018 1,030 1,043 1,043

Population density, 2009: 889 persons per square mile
Population growth rate, 2000-2009: 2%

Economic characteristics

Median household income (1999): $30,104
Poverty rate (1999): 18%
Major local employers by industry (1999):

Major local employers % of cities in cluster
(w/ industry as 1 of 3 top employers)

Retail trade 69%

Manufacturing 58%

Health care and social services 58%

Other Community Characteristics

Date of incorporation: 1904
GMA-planning cities: 46%
Number of housing units:

2000 2009 Growth
2000-2009

574 602 5.6%

Fiscal Conditions

Major Revenue Base

Per capita assessed value, 2008: $65,357
Per capita sales & use tax revenue, 2008: $142
Decline in sales & use tax distributions, October 2007 - May 2009: 29%

General Financial Outlook

Change in local economic conditions since June 2008:

(% of respondents)

Improved 9%

Stayed about the same 64%

Worsened 27%

Ability to meet financial needs:

(% of respondents)

Less able Same Better able

This year (FY 2009) compared with four years ago 27% 45% 27%

Next year compared with this year 55% 45% 0%

Four years from now compared with this year 64% 36% 0%

Steps taken to balance the budget:

(% of respondents)

Adopted with 2009 budget Imposed after 2009 budget was adopted Not as of survey date

Staffing changes

Froze hiring (city is not replacing employees when they leave/retiree) 18% 0% 82%

Decreased the number of hours/days worked or imposed furloughs 18% 0% 82%

Offered voluntary leave without pay 9% 0% 91%

Laid off employees 9% 0% 91%

Compensation/benefit changes

Eliminated salary increases for employees 9% 0% 91%

Delayed or reduced salary increases for employees 18% 0% 82%

Reduced spending on some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 18% 0% 82%

Eliminated some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 9% 0% 91%

Required increased employee contributions for employee/family health care 9% 0% 91%

Cities reopening budget or decreasing expenditures in response to reduced revenues:

Have taken these steps 23%

Had not but considered likely 38%

Had not and did not consider likely 38%

Actions cities are taking to balance budgets for remainder of 2009 (shows responses only from cities planning to amend budgeted expenditures):

Significant increase Slight increase Maintain Slight decrease Significant decrease Not authorized in your city

Infrastructure spending 0% 14% 29% 29% 29% 0%

Public safety spending 0% 29% 43% 29% 0% 0%

General government spending 0% 14% 29% 43% 14% 0%

Scope of services 0% 0% 72% 14% 14% 0%

Size of workforce 0% 0% 72% 14% 14% 0%

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Cluster 4