Cascade County, Washington
Encyclopedia
Cedar County, Washington was the name of a proposed new county to be carved out of the eastern and mostly rural
portion of King County
, Washington, USA. Residents who support secession
feel that they have no voice in county government, which is dominated by Seattle and its suburb
s, with their total population
over 15 times larger than the rest of the county.
The secessionist movement began in the 1990s, when residents became upset over growth management regulations that they felt were being unfairly forced on them by urban environmentalists. Some also did not feel that the services they received were adequate relative to tax
es they paid. The Washington State Constitution
is unclear on the process by which new counties can be created, but indicates that for the process of secession to begin, residents must gather the signatures of 50% of the registered voters in the area. After backers gathered thousands of signatures, the Washington State Legislature
rejected the proposal. In 1998, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that although gathering signatures is the first step in the process, the legislature has the final power needed to create new counties, and the legislature can not be forced to create new counties. The Cedar County movement died down after the ruling, as did a number of other secessionist movements in the state, like Freedom
and Skykomish Counties
.
In 2004 and 2005, the Democratic
-controlled King County government passed several new critical-areas ordinances. One of the new regulations requires that property owners must leave 50% to 65% of their land untouched, leaving some to feel that the government is making a "regulatory taking
", though the U.S. Supreme Court has previously upheld other zoning
laws. In early 2005, Representative Toby Nixon of the state's 45th district introduced a proposal that would clear-up the process of what residents must do to create a new county. http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0505/050202_news_mossback.php
In late 2005, a new committee
was formed to revive the effort, this time under the name Cascade County.
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
portion of King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, Washington, USA. Residents who support secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
feel that they have no voice in county government, which is dominated by Seattle and its suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s, with their total population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
over 15 times larger than the rest of the county.
The secessionist movement began in the 1990s, when residents became upset over growth management regulations that they felt were being unfairly forced on them by urban environmentalists. Some also did not feel that the services they received were adequate relative to tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es they paid. The Washington State Constitution
Washington State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Washington is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Washington...
is unclear on the process by which new counties can be created, but indicates that for the process of secession to begin, residents must gather the signatures of 50% of the registered voters in the area. After backers gathered thousands of signatures, the Washington State Legislature
Washington State Legislature
The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a bipartisan, bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 Representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, with 49 Senators.The State Legislature...
rejected the proposal. In 1998, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that although gathering signatures is the first step in the process, the legislature has the final power needed to create new counties, and the legislature can not be forced to create new counties. The Cedar County movement died down after the ruling, as did a number of other secessionist movements in the state, like Freedom
Freedom County, Washington
Freedom County is a secessionist portion of Snohomish County, Washington, United States declared to exist as of April 23, 1995. Its existence has not been recognized by Snohomish County, the state of Washington, or the federal government...
and Skykomish Counties
Skykomish County, Washington
Skykomish County is a county proposed to be carved out of Snohomish and King Counties in Washington state, USA. The name comes from the Skykomish River, which flows through the proposed county's boundaries....
.
In 2004 and 2005, the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-controlled King County government passed several new critical-areas ordinances. One of the new regulations requires that property owners must leave 50% to 65% of their land untouched, leaving some to feel that the government is making a "regulatory taking
Regulatory taking
Regulatory taking refers to a situation in which a government regulates a property to such a degree that the regulation effectively amounts to an exercise of the government's eminent domain power without actually divesting the property's owner of title to the property.-United States law:In common...
", though the U.S. Supreme Court has previously upheld other zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
laws. In early 2005, Representative Toby Nixon of the state's 45th district introduced a proposal that would clear-up the process of what residents must do to create a new county. http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0505/050202_news_mossback.php
In late 2005, a new committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
was formed to revive the effort, this time under the name Cascade County.