HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/01/2021 16. Consideration of 2022 State & Federal Legislative Priorities 1
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 16.
For Meeting of: November 1, 2021
ITEM TITLE: Consideration of 2022 State & Federal Legislative Priorities
SUBMITTED BY: Randy Beehler, Communications & Public Affairs Director
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Draft 2022 State and Federal Legislative Priorities have been developed based on observation
of issues the Council has focused on in 2021, progress made on the City's 2021 state and
federal priorities, input from the City's contracted lobbyists in Olympia and Washington, D.C., City
senior staff input, and review of legislative priorities established by other municipal advocacy
organizations. The Council is being asked to consider adopting 2022 State and Federal
Legislative Priorities at its November 1st regular meeting.
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Public Trust and Accountability
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends adoption of 2022 State and Federal Legislative Priorities.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
D 2022 City of Yakima Federal Legislatiie Priorities-Draft 10/27/2021 Corer Memo
D 2022 City of Yakima State Legislatiie Priorities-Draft 10/28/2021 Corer Memo
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City of Yakima
2022
Federal Legislative Priorities
Actively Pursue
- Funding for loss of local government revenues as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic
- Efforts to address homelessness and to reduce barriers to affordable housing
and human services programs locally, regionally, and nationally
- Regulatory and legislative advocacy to preserve community access to health
care services
- Yakima Basin Integrated Plan funding requests, including funding requests for
completion of the Nelson Dam Removal and Replacement Project
- Increased funding for Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
("OJJDP") and other federal programs designed to combat gang crime and
violence
- Comprehensive immigration reform, including passage of the Bar Removal of
Individuals Who Dream of Growing Our Economy ("BRIDGE") Act, Development,
Relief, and Education for Alien Minors ("DREAM") Act, or similar legislation
- Development of adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding for airport
capital projects and airport economic development projects
Support
- Ongoing funding assistance provided to local public safety entities through programs
such as Community Oriented Policing Services ("COPS"), Staffing for Adequate Fire
and Emergency Response ("SAFER"),the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
("AFG") and Local Law Enforcement Block Grants ("LLEBG"), which are consistently
utilized by the City
- Grant programs to support the expansion of domestic water and sewer systems to
underserved, low-income neighborhoods
- Allocation of additional HUD housing vouchers to the Yakima Housing Authority
- Legislation to improve broadband accessibility in rural communities
- Continued funding of the Community Development Block Grant ("CDBG") program at
current or increased levels. Enhance flexibility for use of funds in the CDBG program.
- Passage of the Breaking the Chain of Violence Act
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City of Yakima
2022
State Legislative Priorities
Actively Pursue
- Regulatory and legislative advocacy to preserve community access to health care
services
- Development of a comprehensive transportation funding package that includes
additional resources for cities
- Increased state funding in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, funds for affordable
housing, and funds to reduce homelessness
- Legislation and state funding designed to address the high rate of domestic violence
present in Washington State
- Increased state funding to support local gang prevention, intervention, and
suppression programs
- Support additional funding for mental health response assistance to local
governments, including continued funding of the Trueblood grants
- Continued support of local governments and business in response to the COVID-19
pandemic
- Funding for future construction of an outdoor pool at MLK, Jr. Park
- Economic development grants and investments in historically disadvantaged
communities
Support
- Efforts by Yakima MOBIC, LLC to secure a "Certificate of Need"from the Washington State
Department of Health to allow for surgical procedures to be performed at the former Astria
Regional Medical Center facility, now owned by Yakima MOBIC LLC
- Replacing the one percent property tax revenue increase limit with a limit tied to cost drivers
- Legislation allocating one percent (1%) of the airport fuel tax imposed by RCW 82.12.020 to
the aeronautics account to be used for airport capital projects
- Efforts to clarify and/or modify police reform legislation adopted during the 2021 state
legislative session
- Enhancing distribution of marijuana excise tax revenue to local governments
- Modification of authorized outlets for publishing office local government notices
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Monitor
- Amendments to the WSDOT budget in order to ensure completion of committed projects in
the Connecting Washington transportation package
- Legislation providing greater flexibility in the use of public funds for economic development
purposes
- Cuts to intergovernmental shared revenue