WHEREAS, The State of Washington has neighborhoods as varied and unique as the gorgeous coastal landscape and offers many great places to live; and
     WHEREAS, Half an hour to the east of Seattle is the Snoqualmie Valley, nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains; and
     WHEREAS, The small towns in the Valley - Snoqualmie, North Bend, Preston, and Fall City - are in a geographic sweet spot, just as close to Seattle as they are to the ski slopes; and
     WHEREAS, New home construction is burgeoning, but the area retains a rural feel with elk and golf courses, a place where people can relax in what Washington living used to be about; and
     WHEREAS, The neighboring communities of Fremont and Ballard lie on the north side of Seattle; and
     WHEREAS, Fremont is Seattle's acknowledged hip and cool spot, the kind of place where you meet people named Sunshine; and
     WHEREAS, Fremont's rich stock of old industrial buildings means apartments and condos predominate with prices running from $175,000 to $300,000; and
     WHEREAS, Next door in Ballard you'll find more houses with verdant backyards in a city shaped by hills, with homes ranging from fishermen's bungalows to new, larger constructions; and
     WHEREAS, Originally a Scandinavian settlement, Ballard lies on a relatively gentle slope that opens it to sun almost all the time, a big advantage in the damp Pacific Northwest; and
     WHEREAS, Ballard boasts some of the most active locks in the United States, with watching the boats a happening every day; and
     WHEREAS, For those who prefer their commute by ferry, the other side of Puget Sound is the ticket with Bainbridge Island the classic off-the-mainland bedroom community; and
     WHEREAS, Other close-in waterfront suburbs have even more commuters from Seattle taking the 40-minute cruise to Bremerton and the nearby communities of Silverdale and Poulsbo; and
     WHEREAS, Bremerton, a Navy town, has become known as a good place to raise children with the school system rapidly improving, and homes ranging from ranches to view-stealing mansions averaging about a third less than similar spreads in Seattle itself;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of Washington State join with Money Magazine to recognize these outstanding neighborhood communities, each exemplifying a different aspect of Washington State's gorgeous coastal living, and the local community leaders who have helped shape the unique character and quality of life enjoyed by all those who live, work, and play there.