Laserfiche WebLink
City of Tukwila <br />Allan Ekberg, Mayor <br />INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM <br />TO: City Council <br />FROM: Rachel Bianchi, Government Affairs and Communications Manager <br />BY: Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager <br />CC: Mayor Ekberg <br />DATE: March 20, 2017 <br />SUBJECT: Requested State Legislative Update <br />ISSUE <br />Should the City take a position on House Bill (HB) 1999, other legislation that pertains to the <br />Port and SB? <br />BACKGROUND <br />Below is a discussion of the three issues that have been requested to be reviewed by the <br />Community Development and Neighborhoods Committee. <br />HB 1999 <br />Representative Mia Gregerson approached the City's lobbyist asking for City support for HB <br />1999, currently being considered in the State House of Representatives. HB 1999 concerns the <br />makeup and composition of the Port of Seattle's Board of Commissioners. Staff brought the <br />issue to Committee of the Whole in February, but was asked to bring it to the Community <br />Development and Neighborhoods committee for further review. Because of agendas and timing <br />this is the first opportunity for the Committee to review. <br />Currently, the Port's Commission consists of five commission members elected at large in King <br />County. HB 1999 restructures the Port Commission to resemble the composition of the King <br />County Council. The number of Port Commissioners will increase to nine and each <br />commissioner would represent a specific district. The nine Port Commission districts would have <br />the same boundaries as the King County Council districts. Under this legislation, <br />Commissioners must reside in the district he or she represents. Voting is similarly limited by <br />districts and all at-large positions are eliminated. <br />HB 1999 was not moved out of the House and is effectively dead. <br />Studies on Sea-Tac Airport <br />Air Quality Study <br />Representative Tina Orwall sponsored HB 1171 that would direct the Washington Department <br />of Commerce to complete a study regarding "air quality implications of air traffic at the <br />international airport in this state with the highest number of total annual departures and arrivals." <br />While the bill itself is dead, it is expected that the budget proviso will move forward. The Port of <br />Seattle has committed $75,000 to the air quality study. Burien has committed $30,000, which <br />could be split between the air quality study and impact mitigation study discussed below. The <br />draft study would need to be presented to the legislature by 2019 and the final by 2021. While <br />the Senate did not include the proviso in the budget released today, it is expected in the House <br />budget next week. <br />