Consolidation Now!!! (Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver: how much, house, purchase)

[Moon Waffle]

The Tri-Cities is a very nice place to live, but let's face facts: the area is still basically four sleepy little towns all bordering each other. It has some of the offerings of an area of 200,000, but not as many as it should. Truly, it's hard to find a place as big as the Tri-Cities that has so little to offer in terms of city life and a sense of community!

I find it extremely frustrating because the place is just absolutely BURSTING at the seams with potential. Yet nothing ever really seems to happen. I blame the four separate cities for their constant competition, bickering, and dragging their heels to get things done. And until this area consolidates, it will never change. And so I am posting today to call for consolidation, and get your opinions on why it would be a good idea (or not).

Before we get going, please don't turn this into a thread about whether or not you think consolidation will actually ever happen...let's leave that type of doubting out of the picture, shall we? Rather, let's discuss the pros and cons of a united, consolidated, Tri-Cities (yes West Richland, we're including you in this!)

Some initial thoughts:

Can you imagine the amazing place the Tri-Cities would be if there were a centralized downtown? Consolidation would naturally result in this taking place, eventually. Who knows where it would be but with all the good people in this area, the community events would be incredible!

Can you picture a fully-developed riverfront, with tourist offerings as well as great recreational opportunities for residents, unmatched in the northwest, and available almost year-round?

Can you envision an area of 200,000 people, with the hands-down best weather in the Northwest, lowest cost of living, and best transportation infrastrucutre, with a united focus in attracting business and tourism?

I start thinking about these type of things, and you know what I am left with? Boise, Idaho + a huge, incredible river. And you know how much people rave about Boise being such an incredible place to live...it's always rated one of the best, if not THE best, in the country (and I agree). I don't see the Tri-Cities being far behind, if consolidation could become a reality.

Would it all be roses? No. Of course there would be issues, concerns, problems. But the good would FAR outweigh the bad. I look at the Northwest and I see cities that are flushing out the middle class due to cost of living and congestion (Seattle, Portland), cities that are becoming too expensive due to being primarly "tourist towns" (Bend, Coeur d'Alene), cities where the weather is less than desirable (Spokane, Seattle, Portland), and cities that are simply too off the beaten path (much of eastern WW, eastern OR, eastern ID). Tri-Cities really has none of these problems and is poised to become THE hotspot of the Northwest. But again, I believe this only happens if consolidation happens.

So tell me your thoughts on consolidation and what you think the Tri-Cities could become if it ever happens...

[exit82]

Tri-Cities really has none of these problems and is poised to become THE hotspot of the Northwest.

LOL-yeah- it's a hotspot alright- about 105 all july and august.

You have to determine how much the federal government contributes to the tax base of Richland. I can't think of one reason why they would want to subsidize kennewick and Pasco.

[heymikey]

Hi, Moon Waffle!

No offense, but as nice as the picture sounds, I'm afraid it glosses over some persistent, difficult realities.

As a nearly (except for college) life-long Tri-Cities resident, I have always had a love-hate relationship with each town. Richland, my home, always seemed the most techie (nay, nerdly?) growing up, but I hated the superior attitude. Pasco folks seemed the most friendly overall (with some painful exceptions), but could never seem to get on top of the racial and socioeconomic problems. Kennewick always seemed to have a chip on its shoulder about Richland, but it's clearly the economic powerhouse, where we'd go for something to do or shopping.

The point is that each city has its own personality and problems, and I would hate to see to see them lose their individual identities, I certainly don't want a share of their problems, and I have very little faith they would be very responsive at all to ours. Taking down the borders isn't going to change peoples' attitudes. Everything would gravitate toward Kennewick—it's nearly that way as it is; taking down the borders does me no good if all those neat attractions are still 15 miles away. Add to that the fact that Pasco is the county seat of a different county, and I see very little to gain for all the difficulties it would cause.

Besides, if it were to become that "hot spot," all the problems you attribute to other areas would soon follow: flushing out the middle class due to cost of living and congestion, the inflation and low-wage jobs that come with a "tourist town." You may want to bring all that here, but that's one reason (of many) I don't live in Seattle ("Seattle" meaning the I-5 corridor from Vancouver to Blaine ;-). The cities' attitudes and goals are as diverse as their histories, and I think forcing them together would be a mistake, irrespective of the perceived benefit.

@exit82: What've you got against 105˚? I'll admit 115˚ is getting up there, but lots of "hot spots" across the country get that hot or hotter and aren't nearly as comfortable (I'm thinking about Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Antonio). Unless you're a confirmed wet-sider, I don't think the temperatures by themselves should be too much of a deterrent. Then again, confirmed wet-siders aren't likely to come this way no matter what we put up to attract them.

Just my 2¢
heymikey

[vette-dude]

I see TriCities as a breath of fresh air from living a good # of years in the PacNW south of Seattle., don't get me wrong it's just beautiful on the coast, just a personal chioce, and the few years we've been here we enjoy the climate, people and yes the cost of living (eventhough politics make it difficult everywhere) is better, such as purchase of a nice newer house in relation to the price of the same "type" house in King county., has most of the major store chains at our disposal. Yes the weather is hot here in the summers, but than again allot of locations in the nation have weather such as this, the state of Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and so on..The spring and summer temperatures is one major item that attract western washington residents to this side of our state... I've spoken to a good number of local home owners since moving here, and a good number prefer the 3, well I guess 4 counting West Richland to remain separate from one another, eventhough at times, it seems at times, this part of the state is just one large metropolitan area, separated by city name only.

[mustang34]

YES! I AGREE! NOW!

I know I've posted about this somewhere else, just imagine how much more prosperous this area could be, how much more we could have! I just finished reading a post about how a store would not locate here because it needs at least 100,000 people to support it. Though the Metro is far above that, not one city in the area is above that population. So many companise won't come here because each individual city is too small, while the metro is big enough. If those companis came, there would be better jobs to attract more people, which would attract more commercial, recreation and cultural events. Its all a domino effect people. Yes there will be some issues, but its all for the greater good. As a lifelong Pasco resident I will miss the seperate identity, but its more practical to become one, we are already united on some levels, lets make it official and complete!

[Moon Waffle]

Mustang, you have hit the nail on the head!

No one would dare say that consolidation is not without it's drawbacks, but the good FAR outweighs the bad.

[Ron House]

Part of the appeal of this area is the fact that it is not one big metropolis...
You should all remember that bigger is definitly not better...size breeds new problems and exacerbates existing ones...you can tell this is true by the fact there are few if any large metro areas worth living in. Be happy with what you have...do not worry...one day all of what you want as to size will happen and then you will all decry the problems and long for the "good old days"
Personally I hope it is later than sooner...

[M3 Mitch]

Well, I never thought it would happen, but "they" have formed a committee to study consolidation. At least according to the TV news and the Tri-City Herald.

Anyone think this could actually be done?

[j_k_k]

I'm strongly in favor of consolidation. For one thing, it would consolidate a lot of bureaucracy--I think costs would go down. It would jolt the Old Boy/Girl networks of all three cities out of their comfortable perches. It would perhaps help get rid of antiquated notions each city seems to harbor about the others. It would most likely help to attract investment and facilities, because instead of three cities all jockeying against each other to woo the new Megacorp Inc. facility, there would be one voice. It would give this region the resources to do things that none of the cities could contemplate alone.

I think that strongly outweighs any nostalgia for each city's unique heritage, none of which are very long anyway. Does anyone have handy census data for the populations of the cities through history? I did a quick search and found it at least by counties, which in practical terms is pretty close, though of course Kennewick and Richland are both in Benton County, and while I didn't check the population of Prosser at the time, one suspects it was more important then than now because it became the Benton county seat not long before 1910.

1910: Benton, 7937; Franklin, 5153.

1940: Benton, 12053; Franklin, 6307.

So as for unique histories, we are talking about a pretty small place before WWII. I don't think much individual urban culture was/is there to lose from old days--this all got built up after 1942. I also don't see any problem with the Franklin county seat; it would be in Three Rivers (or whatever the new city would be called; hopefully not something stupid like PaRiKen or Kennerichsco), but it would only administer and act in Franklin County.

[M3 Mitch]

Good point though that Pasco is the county seat for Franklin county. It would be interesting how one could consolidate the 3 cities while maintaining Pasco as county seat.

That and the fact that the "good old boys" won't go away willingly makes me think it's a pipe dream.

But we live out in the country between Prosser and Mabton. So it does not matter much to me.