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Home My WebLink About12/02/2008 08 2009 State Legislative Priorities ® BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 2 For Meeting Of: December 2, 2008 ITEM TITLE: City of Yakima 2009 State Legislative Priorities. SUBMITTED BY: Richard A. Zais, City Manager CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE: Michael Morales, 575 -3533 SUMMARY EXPLANATION: Attached is draft of the city's 2009 State Legislative Priorities. Draft forms of this document have been presented to all council members through the Economic Development, Public Safety and Neighborhood Development committee meetings, and it is presented tonight as a possible action item, in anticipation of our annual legislative dinner on December 8. Our legislative agenda is developed in consultation with council, department staff and other cities that share common interests and concerns, in addition to our involvement with the AWC. As with any issue, all cities do not always take the same position on specific bills, nor do we all place the same level of priority on certain issues in the legislative arena. The Legislative Agenda sets the stage from an issue and policy standpoint for the city. Based on its content, staff will monitor and recommend positions in support or opposition of bills that come up during the session relating to the topics identified in our agenda. Staff and council may also advocate for the creation of legislation and financial requests that meet the objectives of the legislative agenda. Resolution Ordinance Co Contract Other: Approval for Submittal: City Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This is a Council policy issue. BOARD RECOMMENDATION: COUNCIL ACTION: 1 • CITY OF YAKIMA 2009 TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES CRIMINAL JUSTICE Funding for gang prevention, intervention and suppression pilot programs — Random drug testing for emergency responders, including firefighters and police officers. ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE Support a public infrastructure construction stimulus package to enhance construction employment and assist the economy. DOWNTOWN FUTURES INITIATIVE Phase 4 $6.4 million Lighting; sidewalks and paving; electrical upgrades; water and sewer improvements; and other beautification efforts, including $2.8 million for improvements for the Yakima Convention Center Campus. • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS Establish new and broad application of existing tax incentives to promote economic development and infrastructure expansion. INFRASTRUCTURE Increase Transportation Improvement Board and Public Works Trust Fund funding, and oppose diversion of these funds for other agencies. FISCAL AID FOR DISTRESSED CITIES AND COUNTIES PERSONNEL & LABOR RELATIONS Oppose proposals from the Select Committee on Pension Policy that create unfunded mandates on local government to enhance or expand insurance coverage, disability and death benefits. PREEMPTION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY Oppose legislation that preempts local authority over policy or operational prerogatives that have 0 historically and traditionally been vested with local government. 0 CITY OF YAKIMA STATE INFRASTRUCTURE STIMULUS PACKAGE HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS • LINCOLN AVENUE — MLK BOULEVARD RAILROAD GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT $8,000,000 $8,000,000 to complete funding of a $43 million project to construct two underpasses at arterial crossings with the BNSF Stampede Pass Line. Design of Lincoln Avenue is complete, and right of way certification is expected by February 2009. Each underpass has a 12 month construction schedule. YAKIMA DOWNTOWN FUTURES INITIATIVE PHASE 4 $6,400,000 Survey and preliminary engineering on downtown core streets is complete. Convention Center Campus design can be completed during construction of street improvements in time to provide 0 continuity of construction activity. WEST NOB HILL BOULEVARD — $2,400,000 A Wal -Mart Supercenter has received its building permit, and several other retail projects are set to follow. West Nob Hill Boulevard will be partially built by Wal- Mart in mid -2009, and the city needs $2.4 million to complete its portion. ARTERIAL STREETS GRIND & OVERLAY $5,000,000 CAPITOL THEATRE PAVILION $4,600,000 • 2 0 2009 STATE LEGISLATIVE ISSUES CRIMINAL JUSTICE Funding for gang prevention, intervention and suppression pilot programs — The City of Yakima supports public safety and criminal justice legislation to carry out the following: • Random drug testing for emergency responders, including firefighters and police officers. • Reform the juvenile and adult sentencing code for greater accountability. • Allow for seizure of private property used to support gang related activities (similar to drug seizure laws) • Full funding for the GraffitifTagging Abatement Grant, which was funded at $625,000 instead of the two million dollars requested. • Mitigate offender medical costs DOWNTOWN FUTURES INITIATIVE — $6.4 million Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Downtown Futures Initiative (DFI) have attracted nearly $75 million of ® private investment in Yakima's Central Business District over the past three years that has created over 200 jobs and dozens of new businesses. The City of Yakima has also contributed over $20 million of tax incentives and $4 million of low- interest loans to businesses as part of this effort. Given the tight market conditions for private investment, we need to continue improving the public infrastructure for businesses, customers, and visitors as a way to mitigate the restricted availability of private financing for projects. The City requests $6,400,000 to help fund a continuation of the Yakima Downtown Futures Initiative Project, including $2.8 million for improvements for the Yakima Convention Center Campus to create a pedestrian plaza and realign 8 Street between "A" and Yakima Avenue. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS The City of Yakima supports the expansion and creation of state development tools that improve our tourism and recreation development opportunities, and sustain the economic competitiveness of our city. Specifically: • Support stable funding for existing programs with a proven record of success. • Establish new and provide the broadest application of existing tax incentives to promote economic development and infrastructure expansion. • 3 INFRASTRUCTURE • Expand eligible uses of Real Estate Excise Tax to include public safety capital needs, such as fire apparatus. • Increase Transportation Improvement Board and Public Works Trust Fund funding, and oppose diversion of these funds for other agencies. Municipal Stormwater Funding: the 2007 -2009 Biennial Budget provided additional grant funding to assist implementing cities. For the next biennium and beyond, the state needs to partner with cities to help fund implementation of these permits at levels greater than the 2007- 2009 biennium. FISCAL ISSUES Fiscal Aid for Distressed Cities and Counties As a result of the repeal of the MVET due to I -695 and declining State backfill, ESSB 6050 was passed in 2005 to provide some assistance for low -tax base cities and counties - 173 cities currently receive funds from this account. The account is funded by the Real Estate Excise Tax and will receive reduced funds as the real estate market continues to cool. The city supports an increase to the City- County Assistance Account, but not at the expense of the Public Works Trust Fund. PERSONNEL & LABOR RELATIONS • Oppose proposals from the Select Committee on Pension Policy that create unfunded mandates on local government to enhance or expand insurance coverage, disability and death benefits. • Support legislation to allow a local governing body to suspend a labor settlement for one year in the event of a financial emergency. • Amend RCW 41.56 to replace the CPI with the Implicit Price Deflator as the true measure of inflation. GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT — LAND USE - ANNEXATION • Support legislation that will provide more tools to facilitate and streamline the annexation process for property within Urban Growth Boundaries. • Oppose legislation that would define special purpose . districts as primary providers of urban services. PREEMPTION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY — The City will strongly oppose any legislation that preempts local authority over policy or operational prerogatives that have historically and traditionally been vested with local government. 0 4