Mayor Shares City Vision With Local Business Leaders

Redmond Mayor John Marchione shared his vision for a vibrant, active downtown with about 50 members of the Greater Redmond Chamber of Commerce during a "State of the City" address on Wednesday.

Marchione said city officials are working to emphasize transportation and add housing to Redmond's two urban centers: downtown and Overlake. Public works projects such as the extension of 161st Avenue Northeast and the will make it easier for people to get around downtown, he said, while the addition of housing in these two areas will help reduce traffic throughout Redmond.

"The whole reason for the urban centers is to manage the growth that's coming to Redmond," Marchione said. "One way to manage traffic is to get people to live closer to their jobs."

Encouraging growth in the city's urban centers also helps preserve the nature of Redmond's older neighborhoods, he said. Marchione pointed to public transportation as an important strategy for managing growth throughout town.

Sound Transit's East Link light rail project will be key to Redmond's future transportation landscape, Marchione said. Light rail has already been funded into Overlake and is expected to arrive there around 2022, he said, but extending the line into Redmond will require the cooperation of neighboring jurisdictions and other regional players.

"The region understands it's important to come downtown," Marchione said. "It's all about money."

Regarding jobs and business, Marchione said he wants the city to work on bringing in more "primary jobs" — manufacturing or technology companies that add to the area's job base and create more retail or service-oriented businesses as a result of their existence.

Marchione also gave an overview of the city's financial health, which he said has remained strong despite a drop in revenue. He pointed to the city's budgeting-by-priorities process and a reduction in full-time staff as two reasons why Redmond has avoided financial distress.

"The City of Redmond has always been careful to use its operating money for operations and one-time money for capital," he said. "Most jurisdictions that you hear are in trouble, they generally have taken that one-time money and used it for operations."

Shelley Kloba, a trustee with the Lake Washington Schools Foundation, said she was encouraged by the mayor's message.

"I think it helps to establish trust when you're able to understand the framework from which the city makes its budget decisions," she said.

Wednesday's address took place at the chamber's monthly membership luncheon at .