HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAP 2016-01-25 Item 2B - Resolution - 2016 Legislative AgendaCity of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
TO: Mayor Ekberg
Community Affairs and Parks Committee
FROM: Rachel Bianchi, Communications and Government Relations Manager
DATE: January 20, 2016
SUBJECT: 2016 Legislative Agenda
ISSUE
The City of Tukwila develops an annual legislative agenda for use in Olympia during the
legislative session.
BACKGROUND
The City's Legislative Agenda provides direction to staff and consensus among the elected
officials as to what policy positions are taken on behalf of the City of Tukwila during the
legislative session. The Finance and Safety Committee previously reviewed the attached draft
and provided their comments, which have been incorporated into this draft. Finance and Safety
Committee included the following new section:
Education
• Implement needs based funding for allocation of social emotional student support
resources and expand funding for learning opportunities for summer school students.
• Increase funding for homeless students and secondary ELL students.
• Incorporate early learning for low income students as a part of Basic Education.
DISCUSSION
None.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
None.
RECOMMENDATION
The Council is being asked to approve the resolution and consider this item at the January 25,
2016 Committee of the Whole meeting and subsequent Special Meeting that night so that the
agenda is complete by AWC's City Action Days on January 27 and 28.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution in draft form
Attachment A — Legislative Agenda
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A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA,
WASHINGTON, ADOPTING A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR USE
DURING THE 2016 WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WHEREAS, the City Council has agreed to pursue certain legislative issues for
2016; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes this agenda is not all encompassing, in that
certain additional items may arise during the legislative session that require support or
opposition; and
WHEREAS, a legislative agenda outlines the priority issues that elected officials
may discuss when speaking to members of the Washington State Legislature; and
WHEREAS, the City Council agreed to these priorities at the Special City Council
Meeting on January 25, 2016;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA,
WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
The Tukwila City Council has identified priorities for the 2016 Washington State
Legislative Session that provide a framework for advocacy on behalf of the community.
The City of Tukwila 2016 Legislative Agenda is hereby incorporated by reference as
Attachment A.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at
a Special Meeting thereof this day of 12016.
ATTEST /AUTHENTICATED:
Christy O'Flaherty, MMC, City Clerk Joe Duffie, Council President
APPROVED AS TO FORM BY:
Filed with the City Clerk:_
Passed by the City Council:
Resolution Number:
Rachel B. Turpin, City Attorney
Attachment A: City of Tukwila 2016 Legislative Agenda
W: \Word Processing \Resolutions \Legislative Agenda for 2016 1 -11 -16
LH:bjs
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Proposed City of Tukwila 2016 Legislative Agenda
Transportation & Infrastructure
• Funding from key programs such as the Transportation Improvement Board and Public Works
Assistance Account are critical for cities in addressing infrastructure and transportation needs.
• Previous raids on the Public Works Assistance Account resulted in a loss of $9.6 million in loans to
Tukwila alone which would have funded critical infrastructure in the City.
• The State Legislature should fully fund these and other programs, such as the Centennial Clean Water
Fund and Model Toxics Control Account, to allow cities to meet growing transportation and
infrastructure needs.
Shared Revenue
The State must continue its role as a partner with cities.
Maintaining existing programs such as Streamlined Sales Tax Mitigation Payments, which provides
Tukwila over $1.1 million annually, is part of this partnership.
In addition, the state must retain the local share of liquor taxes to allow jurisdictions to address
impacts, such as public safety, of privatized liquor in our cities.
Revenue Reform
• Allow cities the authority and flexibility to address the fact that growth in the cost of services continue
to outstrip revenues.
• The state should amend the law that limits annual property tax growth to 1 percent and work with cities
to authorize additional funding flexibility and opportunities at the local level.
Public Records
• Provide cities with additional tools to address public disclosure requests that are voluminous, overly
broad, commercially - driven or retaliatory in nature.
• The City of Tukwila is committed to — and has a long history of— making public documents as accessible
as possible; however, many of the more onerous public disclosure requests require an inappropriate use
of tax payer dollars, particularly' when subsidizing requests tied to commercial or personal gain.
Human Services Funding
• The City of Tukwila is committed to local funding for human services, and we know that as the city with
the lowest median income in King County, many of our residents rely on local, county, state and federal
services for basic survival.
• While we continue to do our part, we cannot do it alone and will continue to rely heavily on county,
state and federal partners to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.
• We strongly encourage the state to adequately fund human services programs for the health of the
safety net.
Education
• Implement needs based funding for allocation of social emotional student support resources and expand
funding for learning opportunities for summer school students.
• Increase funding for homeless students and secondary ELL students.
• Incorporate early learning for low income students as a part of Basic Education.
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