HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/03/2009 08 2009 Federal Priorities • BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 8'
For Meeting of: March 3, 2009
ITEM TITLE: Adoption of City of Yakima 2009 Federal Priorities
SUBMITTED BY: Richard A. Zais, City Manager
Michael Morales, Deputy Director, CED
CONTACT: Michael Morales, 575 -3533
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Attached is a draft copy of the City of kima's 2009 Federal Legislative Issues. A summary
sheet of the document was distributed e ouncil as an informational item in the February 5
packet, and has been discussed on a limited basis during various committee meetings.
The top federal legislative priority for 2009 is passage of a bill to extend the time period and
expand the boundaries of federal Renewal Communities. Yakima is one of only 40 designated
RC's in the country, and this designation provides significant tax incentives that are a central
component of our economic development efforts. The designation is set to expire in 2009
without congressional action. Yakima is working with a coalition of communities from around
the country to advocate passage of this law.
The city is also requesting additional appropriations for COPS Tech funding for a regional
communications system; Phase 4 of the Downtown Futures Initiative; gap funding for the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Underpass; and Economic Development Initiative funds for the
Yakima Sawmill Redevelopment Project. In addition, we will advocate for continuation of
competitive grant funds for both capital projects, community development initiatives, and law
enforcement and crime prevention activities that the city currently utilizes.
Following council approval, this document will be presented to our Congressional delegation,
and other federal agency officials in Washington, DC later this month. Mayor Edler, Assistant
Mayor Cawley, and Council members Lover and Rodriguez will attend, along with the City
Manager and Michael Morales.
Resolution Ordinance Contract Other:
Funding Source
Approval for Submittal:
Ci anager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the 2009 Federal Priorities.
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
COUNCIL ACTION:
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• CITY OF YAKIMA .
2009 FEDERAL PRIORITY ISSUES
COMMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Pass legislation to extend Renewal Community tax incentives through 2015,
and expand RC boundaries. This is the City of Yakima's top federal priority.
• Increase CDBG and HOME funding, restoring cuts made over the past several years.
• Yakima Sawmill Redevelopment Project: $3,000,000 appropriation to assist and
accelerate redevelopment efforts.
• Yakima Downtown Futures Initiative Phase 4 - $2,400,000 appropriation.
VIOLENT CRIME, GANGS AND DRUG TRAFFICKING
• Combating violent crime and building a safe community is a Yakima Valley
regional priority.
• $500,000 OS appropriation to enhance and expand regional gang prevention,
intervention and suppression efforts.
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• $500,000 COPS Tech appropriation for Yakima County Integrated Public Safety
Communications System
• Restore cuts made to COPS, First Responder, and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant
programs.
• Office of National Drug Control Policy: Continued funding for the Accelerated Domestic
Market Disruption Program.
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS
• Support for the Yakima Trans Action Priorities, induding:
$8,000,000 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Railroad Grade Separation Project.
Gateway Corridor- Sawmill Redevelopment Area: Planning funds and inclusion in
reauthorization of the transportation act.
• Reauthorization of the federal Transportation Act.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR & EPA
• Congressional delegation support to secure Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and
110 Redevelopment grants from the EPA Region 10 office.
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COMMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT •
Passing legislation to extend Renewal Community tax incentives through 2015
and expand RC boundaries is the City of Yakima's top federal priority.
Yakima was designated a federal Renewal Community (RC) in 2002. Without congressional
action, the RC designation and its tax incentives will expire in December 2009. This
program has been a critical component of Yakima's economic resurgence, and specifically
the renaissance of our downtown.
Restore funding formula levels for CDBG and HOME
CDBG and HOME programs have served as a vital resource to help meet Yakima's
community development, affordable housing and economic development needs for 34
years. Even with proven success, CDBG formula grants have been significantly reduced
over the last several years, with Yakima losing 20% of its entitlement. This number alone
equates to a loss of $1 million in Section 108 economic development loan authority, and a
substantial negative effect on our community.
Yakima Sawmill Redevelopment Project: Yakima Sawmill Redevelopment Project —
The city requests $3,000,000 to provide critical infrastructure and /or loan capital that will
accelerate redevelopment of the site and benefit the surrounding neighborhoods.
Redevelopment of this former sawmill and plywood plant is moving forward, boosted by a
commitment from the State of Washington in 2009 for up to $25 million of tax increment
financing. The City and property-owners are developing a master plan for over 200 acres of 410
interstate frontage property. While the loss of resource dependent industry jobs was
serious economic setback to Yakima, the site offers one of the most significant development
opportunities since the construction of the interstate system through Yakima.
PUBLIC SAFETY
VIOLENT CRIME; GANGS AND DRUG TRAFFICKING
Combating violent crime and building a safe community is a Yakima Valley
priority. .
While Yakima has made progress on the fight against crime, federal resources continue
dwindle while illegal guns and drugs from other countries continue to flood our streets. The
COPS hiring program and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant ( LLEBG) programs have both
been eliminated. The City of Yakima supports a comprehensive crime initiative that restores
the federal -local partnership on hometown security. Specifically:
• Funding for COPS and LLEBG should be restored with strong accountability standards
tied to the grants.
• Balanced anti legislation must be enacted that strengthens local law
enforcement and provides positive alternative to gang participation.
• Re - entry and Rehabilitation: Federal resources are - needed to provide alternatives
to ex-offenders and juvenile detainees, and address housing, job training and
placement, drug treatment and education issues.
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• COPS Tech Appropriation for Yakima County Integrated Public Safety System:
The Yakima Valley Public Safety community is grateful for the $500,000 appropriation included
in the FY 2009 Omnibus spending bill. As the project nears implementation in late 2009, the
City of Yakima, Yakima County and member cities need an additional $500,000 from the COPS
Tech appropriation bill to establish this integrated system for Computerized Aided Dispatch,
Mobile Data, ' Law Enforcement Field Reporting, Law Enforcement Records, Prosecutors
Processing and Corrections. COPS Tech funds will ensure that critical data will be accessible by
all law enforcement agencies in the county, streamlining the operations and enhancing the
abilities of our Public Safety agencies throughout the county
Office of National Drug Control Policy "Accelerated Domestic Market Disruption
Program ": Yakima is one of the smallest cities in the nation to participate in the "Accelerated
Domestic Market Disruption Program "(Accelerated Arrest). Funded by annual grants from the
ONDCP of $150,000 in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 the program helps police efforts to target
mid and high -level drug dealers. In 2007 alone the regional task force seized over $10 million
worth of drugs, in addition to scores of vehicles and firearms. Unfortunately, the funding was
not renewed in 2008, and the city requests restoration of these funds to allow for multi-year
grant awards.
Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT): The Yakima Police Department
secured a $150,000 GREAT grant in 2007, thanks to the support of our congressional
delegation. To date, the program has enrolled over 2,000 students in the Yakima School
• District. YPD and the school district also developed and introduced a program measurement
model in 2007. The city requests continuation of this program.
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS
Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Grade Separation Project -- $8,000,000,
• The Lincoln Avenue underpass will begin construction in June 2009, but the city is still
significantly short of funds to ensure construction of the second underpass (MIX), which could
begin following completion of Lincoln Avenue in July 2010. Additional federal funding either in
the form of an appropriation, or as part of a competitive process that will ensure the second
underpass is built in a timely manner and does not incur any more cost increases due to
delays.
Yakima Regional Trans Action Priorities
The City of Yakima is a partner agency in TransAction, a regional collaborative effort to
improve strategic transportation connection points in the Upper Yakima Valley. Trans Action's
priority funding requests indude the Yakima Railroad Grade Separation Project and the
Gateway Corridor - Sawmill Redevelopment Study.
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR & EPA
Support reauthorization of EPA Brownfield Programs.
The City supports reauthorization and increase funding levels for the EPA Brownfields Program.
These programs help communities clean and redevelop industrial sites that have been damaged
or undervalued by environmental contamination. Redevelopment of these sites can create new
jobs and improve the quality of life for local residents. The City may have several potential sites
in the future that could benefit from federal funding and tax incentive programs such as EPA
Brownfield Redevelopment funds, and the Environmental Clean -up Deduction available to
federal Renewal Communities such as Yakima.
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