The economic situation for the past two years has been difficult on many, including our plethora of businesses in Issaquah. We have seen many businesses close, such as Sweet Additions, Sherm’s BBQ, GI Joes, and Blockbuster, to name a few. Issaquah businesses continue to struggle and are fighting just to survive.

Businesses, and the taxes generated from our transactions, are the lifeblood of our city and state. Without these revenues, our vital services, public safety, and quality of life diminish.

I urge our city, county, and state leaders to ensure local economic vitality by carefully considering all policy decisions through the lens of economic vitality and budget sustainability.

One way our city could achieve this is by examining ways to increase the signage for our businesses, knowing that even a slight improvement to a businesses’ visibility will most likely boast exponential results.

There are other areas that must be looked at, such as revisiting current regulations, taxes, and barriers to business success, as well as streamlining the internal permitting process that may hinder future business recruitment into Issaquah.

Issaquah is a magnificent place to live. Let’s also make it a magnificent place to own a business.

Renee Zimmerman

Issaquah Highlands