The rural Skykomish Valley which consist from Sultan the biggest city east of Monroe all the way to Grotto an unincorporated community near Skykomish. Even if we can not correct a geography error and put the Skykomish area in the correct county we could at least put it in the right legislative district.
By putting this area with another rural area on the same side of the Cascades actually makes more sense it allow will increase representation for this part of the state. By paring it with Chelan County will prevent the area from receiving the representation it deserves.
The idea of separating Monroe from the rest of the Skykomish Valley does not make since this city is the hub of the region. The main reason is neighborhoods close to the Monroe city limits are in this district plus this will make this district more moderate and put it less in Democrat hands. Remember before 1992 this is the same legislative district that handed the whole state Maria Cantwell. She represented this district from 1989 to 1992.
The idea that this area will not be represented fairly by sharing legislatures with Chelan County will not get it fair representation in the legislature.
Carnation and Duvall have shared the same landscape since its founding in the Lower Snoqualmie Valley when it was determined in the 1880's that farm land was cheap east of Seattle near the mountains. They have been in the same school district since the 1930's. They have share the same state highway since its founding in the 1880's now called State Highway 203. This area has shared the same weather and flood conditions since its founding. It only makes since these two cities be in the same legislative district the 45th legislative which have been done since the 1990's. Putting Carnation in the 45th legislative district actually does not help the Lower Snoqualmie Valley get direct representation.
Here is why Fall City and North Bend should be in the same legislative district as Snoqualmie which is the 5th legislative district since have happened since the 1990's. These three area have been in the same school district since 1944 when three smaller school districts consolidated to have a larger voice in the area. They share the same river since its founding in the 1890's. They share the same highways connecting the communities since its founding now known as State Hwy 202. North Bend and Snoqualmie have shared resources in terms of public safety since I can remember from my growing up days since the 1970's and 1980's. Since 2012 have had the same police force. Why should they not be in the same legislative district which will make it better to have direct representation.
The current proposal of putting North Bend and Fall City in the same district as Chelan County will not allow this area to be equally represented.
The year 1883 six years before statehood was introduced to the great state of Washington. Remember the 1880 just like the 1920's was booming decade in the Pacific Northwest. Remember most settlers were not attracted to gold to settle into the Pacific Northwest. Land sales were cheap in the 1880's. Towns like Seattle, Bellingham, Spokane, Cheney, Walla Walla, Ellensburg, Yakima and Vancouver were booming with population. By the end of the 1880's many other towns were created between Seattle and Ellensburg. In 1886 Cle Elum, South Cle Elum and Roslyn were created on the east side of the Cascades. On the west of the Cascades Issaquah which was known as Squak the locals changed it to Gilman and then the legislature changed the towns name to Issaquah in 1899 because Dan Gilman did not want a town out of the Seattle area named after him. My hometowns of Snoqualmie and North Bend was born in 1888 and 1889 which both had the same name until 1903 when the actual Snoqualmie incorporated which according to William Taylor the commissioner was supposed to be Snoqualmie Falls. In 1890, Burlington Northern put the depot in the wrong spot. North Bend which was named agreed up was incorporated in 1909 was the original Snoqualmie.
This was suppose to be in North Bend not the actual Snoqualmie.
In 1883 many counties were created mostly in Eastern Washington in SE Washington Asotin County where Clarkston was located near the border town of Lewiston was created by the legislature on October 27th.
November 24th Kittitas County in Central Washington and Lincoln County was created in Eastern Washington from Whitman County from the territorial legislature.
November 28th four days later when they realized that we had too large of counties in Eastern Washington and in NW Washington. Skagit County was created and Douglas County was created since they ranchers in Lincoln County could not promise that law enforcement could be enforced in a timely manner for people on the east side of the Columbia River and the area that would become Moses Lake later on. Franklin and Adams county were created because the ranchers wanted more local control of their affairs since commuting to the Paulose was not as easy to bring a suspect to trial. Remember Spokane was just developing at this time had only a population of around less than 5,000 residents could not bother having to restore law and order west of Cheney at the time. This is why Lincoln County was formed to protect the interest of the farmers west of Spokane.
As you can see 1883 was important year in Washington's development of eventually becoming a state six years later.
Recently it has been proposed through the Washington State Redistricting Commission that my hometowns of North Bend, Fall City Census designated area, Carnation, Skykomish Valley be in the same legislative district as Chelan County and East Wenatchee.
Wenatchee and East Wenatchee
Truth is these areas have nothing in common with Chelan County and East Wenatchee. They all have beautiful scenery and mountains within walking distance. That is the only thing they have in common. They are in 3 different counties. During the winter sometimes Stevens Pass closes when there is too much snow the major crossing from Wenatchee to Everett on US Hwy 2. North Bend's major highway is Interstate 90. In the past 100 years there have been attempts to get a major road from the North Bend to the Wenatchee. This has only resulted in forest service roads in the Wenatchee-Okanogan and Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area. These short cuts are not maintained by the United States Forest Service. Fall City and North Bend share a state highway 202 and a school district and a river. All three cities Fall City, Carnation and North Bend only share a river. Fall City, Carnation and Monroe share a state highway known as state highway 203. Monroe and North Bend are major hubs of their areas of region even though North Bend actually shares there hub status with the neighborhood town of Snoqualmie. North Bend, Carnation, Fall City and Upper Skykomish Valley are in the same county due a geographical boundary fluke back in the early 1900's. I have always though this area should have been in Snohomish County to unite the whole Skykomish Valley which goes from Monroe to Grotto.
Let's hope that this gets change if not. Snoqualmie and Skykomish Valley will not have proper representation needed for the area because the candidate from that area would have to campaign in Chelan County and East Wenatchee in order to represent their hometown area. Would the Chelan County legislators establish offices in North Bend and Monroe to serve the Skykomish and Snoqualmie Valleys.
