These small, innovative businesses contribute character, vitality and energy to your community and our state. But this area, brimming with talent and prosperity, also has problems. You're having a hard time recruiting employees, especially those in entry level and mid-wage jobs. These workers can't live near their workplaces because housing has become so expensive. But moving further out means a tough commute because traffic has rapidly become so bad.
Affordable housing is the key.
Affordable housing close to work, combined with reliable transit service, will help ease traffic congestion and increase transportation mobility in the area. Speaking of which, let's talk about transportation for a minute. With the current problem on the 520 bridge, we're reminded once again of how stretched and vulnerable we are to disruption. If one thing is very clear to me, it is that we absolutely must and will have a long-term and lasting consensus on how to meet our state's transportation needs. We cannot allow our bright economic future to be hamstrung by gridlock.