Consolidation Now!!! (Seattle, Spokane, Kennewick: city hall, home, new construction)

[GameHog9]

Apparently the the topic that this area hates discussing is brewing again (C~o~n~s~o~l~i~d~a~t~i~o~n)

And maybe this time they are serious?

Should the Tri-Cities consolidate? - Mid-Columbia News | Tri-City Herald : Mid-Columbia news

Weve discussed this for a long time, should it be done?

[bobbilly79]

Originally Posted by 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 shouldn't be too big of a problem actually. There are a few cities across the country that stradle county boundaries, but are county seats. One is Amarillo, TX (Potter County Seat, and Randall County). Okalhoma City, OK lies across four counties as does Tulsa, OK (Oklahoma, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Canadian for OKC; Tulsa, Osage, Rogers, Wagoner for Tulsa). And to clarify these are actual city limits, not metro areas. For all three of the above cities you'd have to add a few counties when talking metro areas. So it is possible to consolidate the Tri-Cities into one, and be the county seat of Franklin County while also being in Benton County

[M3 Mitch]

I didn't know that.

Still, in my opinion the 3 cities (or 4 if you count West) each have their own personalities, I don't see Richland or Kennewick embracing the ethnicly diverse population of Pasco, I don't see Kennewick wanting to share the commercial success it has had with the knuckleheads in Richland who have not been very welcoming to new businesses, I don't see the rather elite (or elitist) Richland school district getting along with Pasco or Kennewick. And where West would fit in to all this, beats me as well.

[j_k_k]

There's no certainty the school districts would merge, though it would make some sense.

[bobbilly79]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

I didn't know that.

Still, in my opinion the 3 cities (or 4 if you count West) each have their own personalities, I don't see Richland or Kennewick embracing the ethnicly diverse population of Pasco, I don't see Kennewick wanting to share the commercial success it has had with the knuckleheads in Richland who have not been very welcoming to new businesses, I don't see the rather elite (or elitist) Richland school district getting along with Pasco or Kennewick. And where West would fit in to all this, beats me as well.

Not to mention, you would still have problem of naming the consolidated city

[rymandev]

I've watched the consolidation issue for years. A few thoughts:

Bringing Pasco into the group; how do we do this when it's both in a different county as well as being the county seat? And how would that affect Franklin County's apportioning of representatives, etc.

How would the new local government determine allocation of funds for infrastructure, etc. Do we honestly believe the current residents of Kennewick, who enjoy a massive difference in sales tax revenue over both Richland and Pasco, would relish seeing that money going to fixing a road in Pasco? Or Richland's residents, who receive huge payouts from the federal government for back property taxes, would happily see those funds being used for putting new sewer lines in Southridge?

And I don't believe consolidation would change anything relating to a vibrant downtown being created. Consolidation and creation of a central district are mutually exclusive issues. A few years ago a project was brought before Richland to create just this type of development, from a developer partnered with one of the largest largest commercial design/build companies in the world, featuring some of the Tri City residents most yearned for national retailers in an exact match of that city's master plan for Columbia Point, and the city council chose Winco and a gas station instead, and then chose to allow the development of the waterfront to almost all condo's- a complete departure from their master plan. And when Kennewick was handed a privately paid-for convention center design consultant showing them exactly how to develop a convention center with attached hotel and mixed-use entertainment core, they ignored the advice and now have their convention center, but no entertainment district- and no way of developing this core now.

That being said, the political pull we'd enjoy at the state level would certainly result in greater funding coming here.

But all 3 city's governments have entirely different focuses for their economic development efforts. Richland looks north to Hanford and creating diversity for their energy parks, Kennewick focuses on commercial and light industrial, and Pasco on agricultural and agri-pack.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each argument- for and against consolidation.

[Moon Waffle]

Look, there are lots of cities and areas that cross into multiple counties. This is not a problem and can be worked around.

If this is the biggest hangup for voting yes on consolidation, then the Tri-Cities deserve to remain 3 (4) little no-name towns with no vision or future.

I've not heard one good reason for NOT consolidating from anyone. Not one.

[j_k_k]

Here is my basic logic. While we all live in our given cities, the fact is that we generally refer to ourselves more as Tri-Cities residents than as Pasconians, Richlanders, or whatever the demonym is for Kennewick. When I go to Pasco or Richland do I feel like I have gone out of town? No. If I want Spudnuts or Atomic Ale I go to Richland. If I want Garibaldi's or a trip to Griggs I go to Pasco. When either city's people want to go to a mall they come to Kennewick. In fact I'm quicker to go to Pasco than to east Kennewick for some things. In reality we are more connected than disconnected. How many people live in one city and work in another? Many.

Because this is true for the majority of locals, issues affecting the entire area should not be decided simply by one part of the area. Matters affecting the Coliseum affect everyone, just as do those involving Dust Devil Stadium. Such matters should have the input of the entire area. For this reason, the cities have the power to combine their resources so as to benefit the whole. What Kennewick could never manage by itself, the three cities in union could do--and for everyone's benefit. What if this might enable us to finally build Southern Washington University, and keep some of our college-bound students at home? What of other attractions and industries that could make life better here?

There is no need to consolidate the school districts unless we want to. There is no need to worry about the Franklin County seat--since it only administers issues relating to Franklin County, it would continue to do as it does. A county seat hardly need reside entirely within its county, and such a semantic issue shouldn't hold back real progress. Legislative districts often are not contiguous with city boundaries; how many exist within densely populated Seattle? What is more, each city government has had many years of small-town fiefdom, favoritism, gluteus-kissing and other political ills. Combining the cities would completely shake that dynamic up, as well as allowing the reduction in various bureaucratic functions.

What is more, recent changes in size have made the three cities more equivalent population-wise and in terms of economic power. Because of this, there is little reason for any of the three to feel that it will somehow be paying the freight for the others. And as mentioned before, what benefits one area benefits all, since we are in reality interconnected.

While we are at it, if the smaller regional towns want to join there is no reason they cannot, but they need not be pressured, forced or annexed. Finley wants to remain unincorporated and rural and underserved? Okay. Their call. West Richland wants to cling to its West Richlandness? Fine by me. The vast majority of the populace is in the three Tri-Cities. Suburbs may do as they like--though if they joined, they could share in significant benefits and have a direct voice in local development that affects them too.

It's time for this area to grow up. Pinocchio, you're a real boy now.

[rymandev]

j_k_k, you are clear and concise in your summation for consolidation and, as I've felt for years, we really should bring the three cities together. The younger group of business and community leaders coming into their own feel this as well. The group that was recently written-up in the Herald of sub-30's leaders all felt the same way. I don't recall the group's name, but I do recall Jeremy Asmus, the builder's son and realtor, was the spokesperson in the article.

[bobbilly79]

I do not live in the Tri Cities, but I have lived in Ellensburg (and will be back in two weeks ), however...The sports teams are not called the Keenewick Americans or the Pasco Dust Devils. At CWU people form the Tri Cities would say they were from the Tri Cities, not just one of the cities. If we were going on an excursion, it would be the Tri Cities...I never once heard someone say "We're going to Richland, and then we may check out Kennewick, and finish the weekend off in Pasco" . Being an outsider, I can definitely see both sides of the argument, however I think all the cities are more connected than many of the anti-consolidation people wish to believe. I also like the idea of a Southern Wa Univ or an expansion of the WSU campus there, I'm a huge hockey fan and I follow the Ams more than the Seattle Tbirds or Spokane Chiefs. There is definitely something to be said about having a regional identity IMHO. Oh well, no matterwhat, it will still be the Tri-Cities, and all the best to them separately or together!