Please join me in supporting the county home fund. San Juan County has the lowest average wages and the highest average housing prices of any county in the state, and this has led to a dearth of affordable housing, limiting businesses, and the schools, and the retention of young people.

The county council has explored all the available options for remedying the situation and concluded that a REET is the best bet. To quote the fact sheet: “A REET authorized by Washington State law serves the largest population of any available housing funding measure, up to 115 percent of the area median income. The REET would not increase the property tax burden of County Residents, and a REET is considered a stable source of revenue.”

Over its 12-year life, the REET would generate something like $15 million to support affordable housing projects — including maintenance of existing housing. Those millions, in turn, would help applicant organizations leverage state and federal grant dollars. This is important for all of us who live here. Please vote YES for the San Juan County home fund on Nov. 6. It matters.

Carl de Boor

Orcas Island