At the same time, Tumwater Mayor Ralph Osgood concedes that the construction of eight new office buildings in Tumwater has caught the city off-guard. Look for the transportation impact fee to be increased in Tumwater before the end of the year, Tumwater City Councilwoman Chris Parsons predicts. Some say yes. Some say no. Olympia's Mukerjee disagrees.
Some homeowners say they are influenced by the higher fees in Olympia.
Dennis Zech, a former Olympia resident, built his latest home in north Thurston County. If the region is serious about promoting urban growth over rural sprawl, it needs to rethink impact fees, according to everyone from community activists to developers. McCormick agrees, but also points out the need for other sources of revenue to pay for growth. That might require a complete overhaul of the state's tax system, he says. Other options include a voter-approved, local gasoline tax to help pay for transportation needs, something being considered by the Thurston Regional Planning Council.