HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2025-03-17 Item 6A - Resolution - Federal Legislative Agenda for Use During the 119th United States CongressCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS
nitiais
Meeting Date
Prepared by
Mayor's review
Council review
3/17/25
BM
ITEM INFORMATION
ITEM No.
6.A.
STAFF SPONSOR: BRANDON MILES
ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 3/ 17/ 25
AGENDA ITEM TITLE Federal Legislative Agenda
CATEGORY ❑ Discussion
Mt Date
® Motion
Mtg Date 3/17/25
® Resolution
Mtg Date 3/17/25
❑ Ordinance
Mtg Date
❑ Bid Award
Mtg Date
❑ Public Hearing
Mtg Date
❑ Other
Mtg Date
SPONSOR ❑ Council ® Mayor ❑ Admin Svcs ❑ DCD ❑ Finance ❑ Fire ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ PW
SPONSOR'S
SUMMARY
The 119th Congress was convened on January 3, 2025. Like with the State of Washington,
the City adopts a legislative agenda that outlines the City's lobbying priorities. Items can
always be added as they come up, with the agenda being used to provide an overview of
the City's top initiatives.
REVIEWED BY
❑ Trans&Infrastructure Svcs ❑ Community Svcs/Safety ❑ Finance & Governance ❑ Planning & Community Dev.
❑ LTAC
DATE: N/A
❑ Arts Comm.
❑ Parks Comm. ❑ Planning Comm.
COMMITTEE CHAIR: N/A
RECOMMENDATIONS:
SPONSOR/ADMIN.
COMMITTEE
COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE
EXPENDITURE REQUIRED
$N/A
AMOUNT BUDGETED
$N/A
APPROPRIATION REQUIRED
$N/A
Fund Source: N/A
Comments: N/A
MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION
3/17/25
MTG. DATE
ATTACHMENTS
3/17/25
Staff Informational Memoradum, dated March 11, 2025
Draft Resolution with Federal Agenda
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City of Tukwila
Thomas McLeod, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Tukwila City Council
FROM: Brandon Miles, Mayor's Office
CC: Thomas McLeod
DATE: March 11, 2025
SUBJECT: Federal Legislative Agenda
ISSUE
Adoption of the City's Federal Legislative Agenda for the 119' Congress.
BACKGROUND
The 119' Congress was convened on January 3, 2025. Like with the State of Washington, the
City adopts a legislative agenda that outlines the City's lobbying priorities. Items can always be
added as they come up, with the agenda being used to provide an overview of the City's top
initiatives.
DISCUSSION
The attached resolution, that outlines the City's priorities, was developed with the City's Federal
advocate firm, CFM. Staff and CFM conducted several sessions with City staff to understand
the City's current capital needs and to understand what projects would be well positioned to
receive federal funding.
RECOMMENDATION
City Administration recommends the resolution be adopted as presented.
ATTACHMENTS
• Draft Resolution with Federal Agenda.
86
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA,
WASHINGTON, ADOPTING A FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR
USE DURING THE 119TH UNITED STATES CONfaRESS.
WHEREAS, the 119th United States Congress conveJanuary 3, 2025, and the City
Council agrees to pursue certain legislative issues; an
WHEREAS, a federal legislative agenda ou -s th- •riority ies that elected officials
may discuss when speaking to members of Con. s . dministration officials; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recog this a• •a is not all encompassing, in that
certain additional items may arise during th �. . r- that require support or opposition;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CI ` UN • F THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON,
HEREBY RESOLVES AS FO
The Tukwila City Council h
a framework for advo
Legislative Agenda i
tifie• . orities for the 119th Congress 2025 that provide
of the community. The City of Tukwila 2025 Federal
d by reference as Attachment A.
PASSED BY THCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a
Regular Meeting thereof day of , 2025.
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
Andy Youn-Barnett, CMC, City Clerk Tosh Sharp, Council President
APPROVED AS TO FORM BY:
Filed with the City Clerk:
Passed by the City Council:
Resolution Number:
Office of the City Attorney
Attachment A: City of Tukwila 2025 Federal Legislative Agenda
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CITY OF
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2025 Federal Agenda
FY26 Appropriations Requests
EXHIBIT A
Tukwila Community Center HVAC Replacement $2,500,000
Located in Tukwila's Allentown neighborhood, the Tukwila Community Center (TCC)
provides essential recreation, educational programming, and emergency shelter to a
community where many residents are low-income and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The current HVAC system, installed in 1997, has exceeded its useful life, is unreliable, and
no longer meets the needs of the facility or the community it serves. Replacing the system
will allow the TCC to operate as a designated resilience hub, offering safe, climate -
controlled shelter during extreme heat and cold events that are becoming more frequent
and severe. The new system will improve air quality, lower operational costs, reduce carbon
emissions by approximately 107.5 metric tons annually, and save an estimated 109,072
kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.
Strander Boulevard Extension Phase III $2,000,000
Tukwila is requesting funding to advance engineering and design for Phase III of the Strander
Boulevard Extension, which builds on significant investments already made to complete a
new east -west corridor connecting the Cities of Tukwila and Renton. Tukwila's existing east -
west corridors are heavily congested and do not facilitate the efficient movement of people
and goods. The project will create a new east -west connector by constructing an underpass
beneath Union Pacific Rail Tracks adjacent to the Tukwila Train Station, integrating
seamlessly with infrastructure established in prior phases. This new corridor will leverage
previous public investments and create a safer, more efficient and resilient transportation
network that enhances regional freight mobility in the Green River Valley —home to the
second-largest warehousing district on the West Coast. Further, the area most impacted by
the completion of Phase III is poised for additional economic growth that will only continue
to exacerbate the need for more efficient regional connections.
City of Tukwila Police Technology Upgrades $1,000,000
Tukwila is seekingto upgrade its public safetytechnology infrastructure to help bring modern
crime -fighting tools to its police department. Technology enhancement will include
replacement of an outdated community camera system, acquisition of UAS and the
associated equipment to support it. Tukwila's Police Department faces unique challenges
due to the city's small residential population coupled with a high volume of visitors,
concentrated retail and commercial hubs, and persistent crime levels well above the
national average. Modernizing the City's camera system, enhancing real-time data
collection, and investing in advanced surveillance and investigative technology will greatly
improve the department's ability to prevent, respond to, and solve crimes.
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Federal Grant Priorities
FEMA Shelter and Services Competitive Grant
Tukwila is a gateway city for refugees and immigrants, welcoming families from across the
globe impacted by conflict and crisis. This influx has placed increasing strain on the city's
housing, healthcare, and social services, challenges that persist today. Tukwila is benefiting
from FEMA's Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which provides critical federal funding to
support temporary shelter, food, healthcare, and other essential services for newly arrived
refugees and migrants. Continued federal investment through programs like SSP is vital to
help Tukwila meet the needs of its refugee population and ensure the city can continue to
serve as a safe and welcoming community for those seeking a fresh start.
Allentown Truck Reroute Project
The City of Tukwila is seeking federal investments to support completion of the Allentown
Truck Reroute Project, which will bring significant improvements to the City of Tukwila's
Allentown neighborhood. Completion of the project will establish an alternative corridor into
Allentown, one of the City's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, which will allow for the
rerouting of heavy truck traffic from BNSF's South Seattle Intermodal Facility. By rerouting
freight traffic to this new corridor trucks will no longer move through Allentown's residential
areas, producing a significant improvement to the area's safety and livability without
compromising operations of an intermodal freight connection. The City anticipates
completing an Environmental Impact Statement for the project this year.
Policy Priorities
Advanced Refunding
The City strongly supports the bipartisan legislation H.R. 1255, the Investing in Our
Communities Act. This legislation aims to reinstate tax-exempt advance refunding for
municipal bonds, a critical financing tool that was eliminated in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs
Act. Restoring advance refunding will allow state and local governments, including publicly
owned water utilities, to refinance existing bonds at lower interest rates, thereby saving
money. These savings can be redirected towards essential projects such as water treatment
and infrastructure upgrades, which are vital for maintaining and improving public health and
safety. Passing this legislation will stimulate economic development, create jobs, and save
taxpayer dollars. By freeing up funds for capital improvements, the Investing in Our
Communities Act will enable local governments to undertake projects that enhance the
quality of life for residents and promote sustainable growth.
State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction
Restoring or increasing the SALT deduction cap would significantly benefit Tukwila residents
by reducing their federal tax burden. This policy change would be particularly advantageous
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for homeowners and those paying higher state and local taxes, allowing them to deduct a
larger portion of these taxes from their federal taxable income. This could lead to increased
disposable income, stimulating local economic activity.
Extension of Infrastructure Package Funding
Extending the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (MA) funding beyond 2026 would
provide Tukwila with continued access to federal grants and programs such as RAISE/BUILD,
Safe Streets, Transformational Habitat Restoration and Reconnecting Communities. Protect
federal funding identified in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation
Reduction Act (IRA) for cities of all sizes. These programs support a wide range of
infrastructure improvements, including transportation, public safety, and community
connectivity. Sustained funding would allow Tukwila to plan and execute long-term projects,
enhancing the city's infrastructure, safety, and overall quality of life for its residents.
Contacts: Brandon Miles, City of Tukwila
Brandon.miles(@tukwilawa.gov
206.731.9071
David Hodges, CFM Advocates
davidh@cfmpnw.com
360.521.1476
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