Residential

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

Size – Medium
Property value – High
Commercial activity – Moderate
Growth – High
Geography – Mostly west

Cluster characteristics
Population
Economic characteristics
Other community characteristics

Fiscal conditions
Major revenue base
General financial outlook

Bainbridge Island, Beaux Arts Village, Black Diamond, Bonney Lake, Brier, Camas, Covington, Des Moines, Duvall, Edgewood, Edmonds, Fircrest, Kenmore, La Center, Lake Forest Park, Lake Stevens, Maple Valley, Marysville, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Newcastle, Normandy Park, Sammamish, Shoreline, University Place, West Richland

These suburban cities, prominent neighbors of large urban centers, have experienced rapid growth in the past decade. For most of them, economic conditions have worsened and they find it increasingly difficult to meet economic needs than in the past. These cities have high assessed value, but with the housing market crash, they have suffered greatly. Most have frozen hiring and reopened the 2009 budget in response to declining revenues. Of those amending budget expenditures, nearly all have reduced general government spending.

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. 6,171 12,703 12,930 13,200 13,575 14,465 14,915 16,560 16,735 17,030 17,240

Population density, 2009: 2,915 persons per square mile
Population growth rate, 2000-2009: 10.5%

Economic characteristics

Median household income (1999): $65,574
Poverty rate (1999): 4%
Major local employers by industry (1999):

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

Retail trade 86%

Manufacturing 82%

Health care and social services 64%

Other Community Characteristics

Date of incorporation: 1959
GMA-planning cities: 100%
Number of housing units:

2000 2009 Growth
2000-2009

4,753 6,196 12.4%

Fiscal Conditions

Major Revenue Base

Per capita assessed value, 2008: $151,685
Per capita sales & use tax revenue, 2008: $100
Decline in sales & use tax distributions, October 2007 - May 2009: 24%

General Financial Outlook

Change in local economic conditions since June 2008:

(% of respondents)

Improved 0%

Stayed about the same 7%

Worsened 93%

Ability to meet financial needs:

(% of respondents)

Less able Same Better able

This year (FY 2009) compared with four years ago 81% 19% 0%

Next year compared with this year 67% 33% 0%

Four years from now compared with this year 67% 24% 10%

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) 40% 33% 27%

Decreased the number of hours/days worked or imposed furloughs 8% 25% 67%

Offered voluntary leave without pay 8% 0% 92%

Laid off employees 13% 13% 73%

Compensation/benefit changes

Eliminated salary increases for employees 14% 7% 79%

Delayed or reduced salary increases for employees 0% 7% 93%

Reduced spending on some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 20% 0% 80%

Eliminated some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 8% 0% 92%

Required increased employee contributions for employee/family health care 29% 0% 71%

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

Have taken these steps 50%

Had not but considered likely 23%

Had not and did not consider likely 27%

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 8% 0% 38% 23% 31% 0%

Public safety spending 0% 0% 57% 36% 7% 0%

General government spending 0% 0% 13% 73% 13% 0%

Scope of services 0% 0% 53% 40% 7% 0%

Size of workforce 0% 0% 60% 27% 13% 0%

AWC Website | About AWC | Contact Us

Cluster 8