Press Releases

Larsen Introduces Legislation to Help Job Creation and Economic Growth in Skagit County

Last week, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) introduced legislation to protect the Small Business Association (SBA) HUBZone program that helps businesses in Skagit County create good local jobs. When Larsen learned that Skagit County could lose is HUBZone status this year due to a formula related to the recent census, he introduced H.R. 2131, the Protect HUBZones Act of 2011, to delay any changes to the HUBZone map for three years.

The SBA HUBZone program is a small business federal contracting assistance program whose primary objective is job creation and increasing capital investment in local communities. It provides participating small businesses located in areas with low income, high poverty rates, or high unemployment rates with contracting opportunities in the form of "set-asides," sole-source awards, and price-evaluation preferences.

"We need to help our small and medium-sized manufacturers grow and create good jobs for folks in the community-not deny them the critical programs that are helping them hire new workers,"

said Rep. Larsen. "The loss of HUBZone status would immediately hurt 34 small businesses in Skagit County that rely on this program to help grow their business and hire new workers. I introduced legislation to extend HUBZone status in Skagit County to help our local small manufacturers grow and create jobs."

Local business leaders in Skagit County praised Larsen for introducing this legislation.

"HUBZone status supports and fosters business opportunities for Skagit manufacturers—this sector is critical to job creation and economic recovery,"

said Don Wick, Executive Director of the Economic Development Association of Skagit County. "We appreciate Congressman Larsen’s efforts to extend this very important program for our manufacturing community. We need this extension to help put people back to work."

"The Port of Skagit strongly supports redesignation of Skagit County’s HUBzone status.  With 34 local businesses participating in this program, two of which are port tenants, we have first-hand knowledge of its value to our community,"

"HUBZone status has helped Munson in increasing our competitiveness with other aluminum boat builders who are also in HUBZone areas (mainly in the Gulf). HUBZone status will also help in the down-select process for the USCG Cutter Boat OTH Mark 4 project for 101 boats. We were just notified by the USCG with their intent to award us a 1 boat for the Phase 1 down-select process. We are 1 of 4 companies selected,"

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said Jess Munson, Vice President of Munson Boats, a company that supports 51 employees. said Patsy Martin, Executive Director of the Port of Skagit County.