HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/09/2013 04 Legislative Priorities - Jim Justin74�
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No.
For Meeting of: 9/9/2013
ITEM TITLE: 10:45 a.m. Legislative Priorities -- Jim Justin
SUBMITTED BY: Randy Beehler, Communications and Public Affairs Director
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
See attached.
Resolution:
Other (Specify):
Contract:
Start Date:
Item Budgeted:
Funding Source /Fiscal
Impact:
Strategic Priority:
Insurance Required? No
Mail to:
Phone:
APPROVED FOR
SUBMITTAL:
RECOMMENDATION:
Ordinance:
Contract Term:
End Date:
Amount:
City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
❑ leg prior 9/6/2013 Cover Memo
Actively Pursue
- Work toward passage of a transportation revenue package that includes funding for
1 -82 expansion and additional local projects
Proactively support a transportation revenue package (potentially funded by a 9 -cents
to 12 -cents per gallon gas tax increase) if it includes funding for the 1 -82 expansion
project between the Highway 12 and Yakima Avenue exits, which incorporates access
improvements to the Mill Site Development, and allocates ongoing funding for local
transportation projects such as the East -West Corridor Project, Cascade Parkway, and
other associated City road improvements
- Seek funding for Mill Site infrastructure
Identity existing resources and /or encourage the creation of additional resources
to facilitate road, utility, and other essential infrastructure improvements to the
Mill Site to stimulate economic development of the site
- Identify sustainable funding for gang preventio:6. intervention, and
suppression programs
Provide support of proposed legislation and /or tetfbny if needed concerning
the need for sustainable sources of state funding to =be provided to local
government in order to combat gang cri e and gang violence
- Secure funding for North 1St Street impev..ement project
Identity existing resources and /or encoage:fh e crdtlen of additional resources
....
to assist the City in funding= a phased impieinentation of the North 1St Street
..
improvement project biased on xisting deign criteria
- Add "ability to pay" to cons,i,derations re: labor. union arbitration settlements
Provide support of proposed l gt la# qq and /or testimony if needed concerning
the rationale kehnd..re.visrng existing atration criteria to better reflect the
economic realities faced:::bv cites
Support
- Reforming the generation and allocation of state transportation funding revenues
Several proposals were rude in the 2013 state legislative session but failed to be
adopted and writ - Jikely l revisited in connection with transportation revenue packages
- Increasing bid limits for-10 I governmental entities in Washington State
Current bid limas have remained unchanged for decades and no longer reflect
existing economic conditions
- Funding new rounds of Local Revitalization Financing projects
RCW 39.104.100 limitations have been reached
- Eliminating current requirement for cities to pay medical costs for felons
Averse 2005 State Attorney General opinion placed burden on cities
- Reaffirming local authority to set public defender standards
This authority was impacted by June 2012 State Supreme Court ruling
- Allowing cities to use Real Estate Excise Tax ( "REET) 2 funds for capital debt service
Counties currently have this capability
- Strengthening access to public records by curbing abusive requests
Misuse of existing public records laws is financially burdensome on cities
- Clarifying Total Maximum Daily Load requirements resulting from state Department of
Ecology study
Lack of clarification may equate to additional unfunded mandate costs