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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 10.
For Meeting of: November 2, 2020
ITEM TITLE: Consideration of 2021 State and Federal Legislative Priorities
SUBMITTED BY: Randy Beehler, Communications & Public Affairs Director
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Draft 2021 State and Federal Legislative Priorities have been developed based on observation
of issues the Council has focused on in 2020, progress made on the City's 2020 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 2021 State and Federal
Legislative Priorities at its November 2nd regular meeting.
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt 2021 State and Federal Legislative Priorities
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
D state 101 91 0 0 r Me
federal 10129/2020 r Memo
City of Yakima
2021
State Legislative Priorities
Actively Pursue
- $8.2 million budget request from the Washington State Department of Fish and
Wildlife for the Nelson Dam removal/replacement project
- State funding participation in public/private investment in Miller Park upgrades
- 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. Do not eliminate local
- Increased state funding to support local efforts to provide homeless services
and affordable housing
- 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
- Continued support of local governments and business in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
Support
- Increased state funding for “Floodplains by Design” projects
- Yakima Basin Integrated Plan (YBIP) capital budget request of $41 million to continue critical
elements of the YBIP
- Replacing the one percent property tax revenue increase limit with a limit tied to cost drivers
- Equitable distribution of marijuana excise tax revenue to local government
- Legislation to improve broadband accessibility in rural communities
- Continued funding of the Trueblood state grants for mental health response assistance
Monitor
- Legislation providing greater flexibility in the use of public funds for economic development
purposes
- Coordinate with Yakima County for flood risk reduction projects at and near Cowiche Creek
- Cuts to intergovernmental shared revenue, which should not be made to balance the state
budget
- Efforts to eliminate or curtail local government options for Transportation Benefit Districts
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City of Yakima
2021
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
- Funding from available federal sources to assist the Yakima Police Department
in replacing its aging radio system and assist the Yakima Fire Department in
replacing aging equipment and rolling stock
- 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
- Funding from the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (“TIFIA”)
program, the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development ("BUILD")
program, and other available federal sources for critical local transportation projects
such as development of streets serving the Mill Site project, the North 1st Street
Revitalization Project, and the Yakima East-West Corridor project
- 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.
- Development of pilot youth development programs (with accompanying funding)
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