In The News
December 16, 2009
Reardon says State should protect ECEAP funding
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon highlighted the importance of giving Wednesday as well as the importance of the state’s Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) during a visit to Hawthorne Elementary School’s ECEAP classroom, one of 21 operated by Snohomish County.
Reardon read stories to the class of three and four year olds while also talking to the children about the need to share with others, especially during the holiday season. Reardon read “The Gingerbread Boy” by Paul Galdone before being asked to read “The Doorbell Rang” by Pat Hutchins — a classroom favorite. Reardon also brought gingerbread cookies to share with the children.
“The earlier we prepare children and families for school, the more successful they will be, benefiting themselves and their community,” Reardon said. “These are our future workers, leaders and decision-makers. We must be sure they’re prepared.”
ECEAP is a free, comprehensive, family focused school-readiness program preparing three- and four-year-old children for school, while teaching parents the tools they need to raise healthier children.
The program also connects families to additional services, improving their quality of life. Many ECEAP classrooms in the Snohomish County program are multicultural and multilingual. At least four different languages were represented during the morning ECEAP class at Hawthorne on Wednesday.
But with deep state cuts on the horizon, the ECEAP program is under threat of losing funding and thus potentially having to eliminate three-year-old children from the program. More than 1,100 children and their families participated in ECEAP in Snohomish County during 2009. Funding primarily is passed through to the county from state and federal sources.
“I talked with the children Wednesday about the importance of giving to others,” Reardon said. “We need to make sure that the state continues to give enough funding to this incredibly successful program, and we should encourage state officials to increase that funding.”
Most programs throughout the state have extensive waiting lists and could use additional funding to admit more children.
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December 10, 2009
Reardon named new Sound Transit chairman
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon was selected Thursday as the next Sound Transit board chairman, saying he would be sure the agency follows through on its commitments to voters.
“Creating a culture of cost controls during challenging times is paramount to keeping the trust of voters,” Reardon said, referring to the 2008 approval of one of the largest transportation referendums in statewide history. “Sound Transit is and will continue to be the key to regional traffic relief and infrastructure improvement.”
Since his election in 2003 as Snohomish County executive, Reardon has produced an annual balanced budget, shoring up deficits through fiscal constraints and improved workplace efficiencies. The same method of thoughtful governance is what will ensure that Sound Transit produces on-time and under-budgeted service deliveries including the extension of light rail to the northern, southern and eastern sections of Sound Transit’s service boundaries.
“We must meet the needs of taxpayers living in sub-areas of service,” Reardon said. “We can do that through a spirit of cooperation and partnership, both private and public.”
Strengthening community ties and partnerships is one way the board can increase its effectiveness while resolving differences, he said.
“Nothing should stand in the way of creating a premier transit system that reduces congestion, pollution and, simply, the amount of time that people spend on the roads and away from their homes,” he said. “This is what our residents want and what they deserve.”
Reardon has served as Sound Transit’s board vice chairman and head of the finance committee since 2008. During that time, he has spearheaded a regional approach that provides quick transportation relief as well as long-term infrastructure improvements.
That work is evident in the rapid bus deployment between King and Snohomish counties as well as the future of light rail throughout the region.
Reardon’s term as board chairman begins Jan. 1, 2010. He will serve as chairman until Dec. 31, 2011. He replaces outgoing Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. The Sound Transit board is governed by 18 members. Seventeen are locally elected officials, while the 18th is the Washington State Department of Transportation secretary.
Snohomish County has three representatives, including Reardon, Everett City Councilman Paul Roberts and Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine. Board appointments are made by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council.
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