To the editor:

Your EDC is the recognized official economic development organization chartered to engage in activities that will promote a healthy business economy for the entire county. This includes a broad scope of services that address, among other things, business planning, recruitment and workforce development.

With such an important economic task ahead of all of us, we appreciate the hard work and dedication of our legislators in their efforts to alleviate our recent ferry crisis. Rep. Barb Bailey and Rep. Norma Smith have introduced a bill, HB 2026, designed to expedite bidding processes for WDOT with the intent of creating new ferries, possibly in a shorter time frame.

Our council has been very involved in assisting the business owners who suffered economic injury this interrupted service has caused, thus we applaud efforts to improve the vessels used for these important crossings, but not at the expense of Washington workers.

Improved service to our communities is two-fold. While we enjoy better vessels and more reliable schedules, we also benefit from the increased local manufacturing jobs the Washington preferred-worker clause creates.

We urge all legislators to include that requirement in the bill and reduce the possibility of living wage jobs leaving our county and state when new vessels are built.

Island County EDC