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recession, that gain has proved to be volatile, slowing sharply with the recession. Agricultural counties have seen population drop 4 percentage points since 2000, as young adults leave to pursue opportunities in the city.
Georgia provides a good example. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports on the contrast between thriving Atlanta and rural Georgia. Chris Clark, Georgia Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, tells the paper 53 percent of the state’ s counties— mostly rural— are distressed. The Chamber this year launched an initiative designed to reverse the decline.
Similar stories can be found in many states. Think Chicago and downstate Illinois, the Twin Cities and nonmetro Minnesota, Denver and rural Colorado, and so on— including, of course, metro Seattle and rural Washington. The divide matters.“ Rural areas are a vital cornerstone to our economy,” says Alex McGregor, president of The McGregor Co., a firm that has served Inland Northwest farmers for 135 years.
Rural vitality is clear in the agriculture and food manufacturing sector, which employs about 140,000 people and accounts for 13 percent of the state economy, according to the state Department of Commerce. With food and agriculture exports of $ 15 billion, Washington ranks third in the nation, reports the state Department of Agriculture. Yet, in February, 22 of the state’ s 39 counties, all of them rural, had unemployment rates of 7 percent or higher.
Recognizing the challenge, AWB convened its inaugural Rural Jobs Summit on a March Saturday during a tough legislative session.( An extended summit was held in Moses Lake, Oct. 23-24.) The events brought lawmakers and business leaders together in Olympia to identify strategies to bolster rural economies. Those attending in March heard economist Steve Lerch, head of the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, describe a tale of two economies: thriving metro centers and struggling rural communities( see page 40).
Participants found a lot of common ground. Rural communities often face challenges, some uniquely determined by local values and conditions. Yet, there are common factors: infrastructure, workforce, and competitive tax and regulatory policies.
The diversity of rural communities means there’ s no grand strategy that works for everyone. There’ s no silver bullet. Kimmell, instead, talks about“ silver buckshot.”
At A Glance
Even as Washington’ s farms, orchards and ranches boast recordbreaking yields, rural counties confront continued erosion of jobs and investment.
At the time of AWB’ s Rural Jobs Summit, 22 counties— all rural— have unemployment rates higher than 7 percent.
From 2005 to 2015, personal income grew 23.1 percent in the metro counties and just 19.3 percent in rural counties; population increased 6.8 percent in metros, more than three times the 2 percent growth in rural areas.
Per capita net earnings in the metros of nearly $ 35,000 was half again greater than the roughly $ 20,000 in rural communities.
Lawmakers are organizing a bipartisan Rural Caucus to work on policies to promote rural economic development.
rural caucus
Some initiatives— public investment, tax policy and regulation— require legislation. In a Legislature dominated by lawmakers from urban and suburban districts, promoting a rural agenda takes organization. One tangible outcome of AWB’ s Rural Jobs Summit was bipartisan agreement from participating legislators to organize a Rural Caucus.
It isn’ t a closed club of rural Republicans. Urban Sen. Maralyn Chase, D-Shoreline, says she’ s excited to collaborate with rural legislators like Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy. Chase, who grew up in Yakima, calls it a“ social justice” issue, making sure all parts of the state enjoy the benefits of an expanding economy.
“ I think AWB can be a good catalyst,” she says.“ It’ s been courageous in bringing these issues up.”
the opportunities
Alex McGregor quotes his cousin, who said the pioneers came to Washington with three basic values:“ Dyed-in-the-wool optimism; a wry,
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