2019-02-25 Finance Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Tukwila City Council Finance Committee FINANCE COMMITTEE Meeting Minutes February25, 2019 - 5:30 p.m. - Hazelnut Conference Room, City Hall Councilmembers: Thomas McLeod, Chair; Verna Seal, De'Sean Quinn Staff: David Cline, Cheryl Thompson, Jay Wittwer, Bruce Linton, Peggy McCarthy, Jeff Friend, Laurel Humphrey CALL TO ORDER: Chair McLeod called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. I. PRESENTATIONS II. BUSINESS AGENDA A. Grant Amendment: Public Defense Program Staff is seeking Council approval to accept an additional $10,000 from the Washington State Office of Public Defense for additional social work services for the Public Defense Program this year. The original award was for $74,000 split evenly between 2019 and 2020, but additional funds have become available and Tukwila is the first city being offered additional funds. Successful implementation of the funds may help the City receive an increased award for 2020- 2021. Funds are used for investigator services, interpreter services, social work assistance, and additional compensation to conflict public defense attorneys. UNANIMOUS APPROVAL. FORWARD TO MARCH 4, 2019 REGULAR CONSENT AGENDA. B. Preliminary December 2018 Year -End Financial Report Staff presented the Committee with a preliminary financial update through December 2018, describing the general state of departmental expenditures and highlighting trends. General Fund expenditures totaled $61.4 million, which is $7.2 million below budget. All departments ended the year under budget. Chair McLeod pointed out that the purchase of four SWAT vehicles causing the Police Department's Rentals and Leases to be over budget was offset by budget savings elsewhere in the department. DISCUSSION ONLY. C. Sales Tax Mitigation Staff updated the Committee on sales tax mitigation payments and offsets. The City receives approximately $1.15 million annually in state streamlined sales tax mitigation funds, but legislation was enacted last year to end these payments effective after September 2019. In 2018 the City received just $158,764 from voluntary remitters and the Marketplace Fairness Act, which does not adequately offset the mitigation payments. The City is involved with lobbying efforts to recommend that the state continue funding of the mitigation payments. A cross -departmental team is reviewing sales tax implications such as whether sharing a zip code with other cities impacts Tukwila's revenues. This committee will report its findings in March. DISCUSSION ONLY.