HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/05/1995 Adjourned Meeting 2 3.3 4
CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
DECEMBER 5, 1995
ADJOURNED MEETING
The City Council met on this date at 12:00 Noon in the Yakima
Rotary Class'room at the Providence Medical Center for the Yakima
Valley Public Service Organizations Annual Legislative Priority
Presentation. Council Members present were Mayor Pat Berndt and
John Klingele. Staff members present were City Manager Dick Zais,
Assistant City Manager Glenn Rice, Marketa Oliver, Administrative
Assistant to the City Manager, and Melynn Skovald, Deputy City
Clerk.
Discussion Of Mutual Legislative Priorities
This meeting provided an opportunity for public service
organizations to identify mutual priorities to take to Olympia for
the upcoming legislative session. Mayor Berndt welcomed the group
and thanked Providence Medical Center for the hospitality.
Linda Kaminski and Mary Kowalsky, Yakima Valley Community College,
identified the continued need for advocacy for the Running Start
Program; the need to support funding for the Workforce Training
Program; the need to support funding for co- location of senior
institutions; and the need to support maintenance of student
financial aid programs.
Kathy Coffey, Visitors and Convention Bureau, identified their
priority to continue monitoring appeal attempts of the Public
Facilities Bill relating to a capital grant request for the
expansion of the Convention Center. Another priority for the
Convention Center is the need to place an emphasis on tourism
development in urban and rural areas. They also support revision
of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Bettie Ingham, Yakima County Commissioner, identified the County's
priorities to support legislation addressing property rights and
water rights in a balanced manner. They also support legislation
requiring the use of surplus state revenues that will accrue under
Initiative 601 to reduce /eliminate the State Property Tax Levy.
Another area of importance includes the need to urge the State
Legislature to create an "extraordinary impact fund" for criminal
justice purposes. Yakima County also intends to continue their
ongoing effort to consolidate permit and application processes.
Barbara Hood, Executive Director of The Providence Medical Center,
identifed three priorities their organization supports, including
the need to market and educate employers and potential enrollees
about the Basic Health Plan. This would enable the working poor to
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Adjourned Meeting -- December 5, 1995
access quality, affordable health care and also return hospital B &O
Tax dollars to Central Washington. Another priority for Providence
Medical Center is the concern that quality health care is being
threatened for injured workers on L & I benefits. Physicians,
particulary specialists, are unwilling to accept these patients
10 because of all the Red Tape and the low payment for services. The
message needs to be sent to Olympia that funding must be adequate
and paperwork must be streamlined if physicians in Yakima County
are to participate in the L & I Program. Ms. Hood also urged
continued support for legislative efforts to curb youth violence
and the need to identify "upstream" causes so appropriate solutions
can be developed.
Larry Petry, Superintendent of the Yakima School District, outlined
several areas where the School District has experienced loss of
funding. The need to restructure special education disability
classifications and interdistricting, transportation costs for
students in unsafe neighborhoods with hazardous walking conditions,
the costs of security within the school district to . prevent
problems in the schools, and reimbursement of costs to prosecute
BECKA Bill truancy cases are areas that need to be brought to the
attention of and, most importantly, recognized by the State
Legislature.
Joe Garro with New Vision directed attention to the need to ask the
Legislature for an extension of the sales tax to include warehouse
distribution facilities and assistance in the area of
infrastructure funding. He also emphasized the importance of
economic development incentives for investors.
Mayor Berndt discussed three top priorities for the City of Yakima
including opposing legislative or administrative mandates,
supporting the revision of the 1977 Juvenile Justice Act, and
supporting a request of $5 million for a capital grant for the
expansion of the Convention Center. Mayor Berndt also acknowledged
the cooperative partnerships developed during her tenure as Mayor.
She emphasized the importance of continuing these relationships,
including supporting each other's priorities.
Gary Webster from the Chamber of Commerce discussed priorities
including regulatory oversight, employer mandates, tax reduction,
tax deferral, property tax, water issues and other changes
experienced in Eastern Washington. He also identified tourism
needs and snow removal funding impacts. Mr. Webster also explained
I/ the Chamber feels there should be a non - duplication of services in
the area of workforce retraining programs. Another priority for
the Chamber of Commerce is the need to reform the Juvenile Justice
Act, particularly the teenage work laws to address loss of work.
He reported the Chamber plans to expand the Leadership Council
along with the Initiative 2000 program.
Dan Tilly spoke about affordable, adequate housing needs and
requested more creative financing be developed involving the
private sector.
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Adjourned Meeting -- December 5,1995
Alice Sells with the Yakima Housing Authority identified the need
for increased penalities for drug use in public housing and more
funding for public housing and emergency housing.
Marketa Oliver concluded, the presentation by urging all
organizations to support each other's legislative priorities and to
I/
promote awareness of those concerns expressed during this meeting.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: /G Z 5 2
COUNCIL MEMBER f G DATE
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
ATTEST:
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CITY CLERK MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Deputy City Clerk Skovald. A video tape of this meeting is available in
the City Clerk's Office.
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