Small Commercial Centers

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

Size – Small
Property value – Moderate to high
Commercial activity – High
Growth – High
Geography – Mostly west

Cluster characteristics
Population
Economic characteristics
Other community characteristics

Fiscal conditions
Major revenue base
General financial outlook

Blaine, DuPont, Gig Harbor, Langley, Liberty Lake, Monroe, North Bend, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, Ridgefield, Skykomish, Snohomish, Stanwood, Sumner, Union Gap, Yelm

Most of these cities have a small town feel, but generate significant retail and commercial activity. With the spread of urban populations to outlying areas, these cities have grown rapidly in the past decade. But they have suffered greatly with the recession; sales and use tax revenues have declined by a third in the last year and a half. To address declining revenues, many of these cities have laid off employees and frozen hiring. All have cut general government spending, and the majority cut funding for public safety and infrastructure.

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. 2,578 4,746 4,755 4,608 4,660 4,805 5,333 5,745 6,140 6,328 6,498

Population density, 2009: 1,284 persons per square mile
Population growth rate, 2000-2009: 14.7%

Economic characteristics

Median household income (1999): $49,929
Poverty rate (1999): 10%
Major local employers by industry (1999):

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

Retail trade 88%

Manufacturing 69%

Health care and social services 63%

Other Community Characteristics

Date of incorporation: 1908
GMA-planning cities: 100%
Number of housing units:

2000 2009 Growth
2000-2009

1,889 2,734 18.1%

Fiscal Conditions

Major Revenue Base

Per capita assessed value, 2008: $166,588
Per capita sales & use tax revenue, 2008: $333
Decline in sales & use tax distributions, October 2007 - May 2009: 33%

General Financial Outlook

Change in local economic conditions since June 2008:

(% of respondents)

Improved 0%

Stayed about the same 9%

Worsened 91%

Ability to meet financial needs:

(% of respondents)

Less able Same Better able

This year (FY 2009) compared with four years ago 58% 8% 33%

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

Four years from now compared with this year 33% 50% 17%

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) 42% 17% 42%

Decreased the number of hours/days worked or imposed furloughs 8% 17% 75%

Offered voluntary leave without pay 0% 17% 83%

Laid off employees 25% 42% 33%

Compensation/benefit changes

Eliminated salary increases for employees 0% 17% 83%

Delayed or reduced salary increases for employees 8% 25% 67%

Reduced spending on some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 8% 8% 83%

Eliminated some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 0% 0% 100%

Required increased employee contributions for employee/family health care 17% 8% 75%

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

Have taken these steps 50%

Had not but considered likely 25%

Had not and did not consider likely 25%

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% 0% 33% 56% 11% 0%

Public safety spending 0% 13% 25% 50% 13% 0%

General government spending 0% 0% 0% 89% 11% 0%

Scope of services 0% 0% 50% 25% 25% 0%

Size of workforce 0% 0% 38% 63% 0% 0%

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Cluster 11