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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3600 ResolutionRESOLUTION NO. 3 ( 00 A RESOLUTION declaring the city's legislative priorities for the 2015 session of the Washington State Legislature. WHEREAS, the 2015 session of the Washington State Legislature commences on January 12; and WHEREAS, the City of Pasco, as a municipal corporation and subdivision of the state, can be substantially affected by the actions of the legislature; and WHEREAS, the City Council has evaluated proposed legislation that could adversely impact the City as well as strategies to improve the services the City provides to its citizenry; and WHEREAS, from this effort the City Council has developed a list of state legislative priorities; and WHERAS, the City Council desires to identify its legislative priorities for the 2015 legislative session so they can be provided to state legislators and the public prior to commencement of the next legislative session; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASCO, WASHINGTON, DO RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. That the legislative objectives stated herein below constitute the priorities of the City of Pasco for the 2015 legislative session. PUBLIC WORKS REUSE FACILITY EXPANSION: The City requests $2.75 million in capital funding to expand its Public Works Reuse Facility to support the economic growth of the food processing and agriculture sectors, provide a less impactful environmental alternative to use of the municipal wastewater treatment plant, and conserve water. Pasco's Public Works Reuse Facility offers food processors significant savings by recycling food processing wastewater for agricultural use, rather than discharging the wastewater to the municipal system and into the Columbia River. The proposed expansion provides a lift station and wastewater pipeline that would serve three more existing processors, and create capacity for future food processors. This would also increase the amount of treated process water available to serve agricultural land. An appropriation of $2.75 million would fund 50% of the expansion, with the remainder being funded locally. TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, LEWIS STREET OVERPASS: The Lewis Street Overpass project replaces a deteriorating and functionally obsolete 1937 railroad underpass on a former state highway. The project cost is approximately $26 million. The City is requesting state funds because the construction cost is simply beyond the financial capacity of local taxpayers. With prior aid from the state, the City has completed right-of-way acquisition and design of the new structure; and demolition of the buildings purchased for right-of-way is nearing completion. The project is now "shovel ready." The City is supportive of a transportation revenue package, including associated tax increases, as long as the Lewis Street Overpass is fully funded. The City also encourages the state to provide reforms to the state transportation system as part of any revenue package. • RESTORE "STATE -SHARED REVENUES" FOR CITIES: Pasco receives nearly $1 million annually from the state, categorized as "state -shared revenues" (liquor excise tax, nuclear generating tax, sales tax mitigation, city/county assistance, etc.). In recent years, a portion of these revenues have been redirected to the state general fund. Pasco supports restoring and protecting these payments to cities; their loss will put in jeopardy the reliable delivery of important local public safety services. • NOTIFICATION OF PRE -ANNEXATION AGREEMENTS: Annexation agreements are signed by a property owner; the City agrees to provide city utility services, and, in return, the property owner agrees to be annexed into the City. When a property is sold, buyers are currently notified of existing pre -annexation agreements on a property's title report. Pasco has learned that homebuyers overlook the notation on the title report, and purchase property unaware of whether such an agreement has been signed. The City supports legislation improving notification of existing pre -annexation agreements through the home buying process. • PUBLIC RECORDS REFORM: Pasco supports reform to statutes governing public records requests. While the City recognizes the need for and benefits of transparency and accountability in government, all too often the right to obtain public records is abused and extraordinary public costs are absorbed by cities. Preliminary findings of the Ruckelshaus mediation process have indicated that a majority of respondents are interested in a non -judicial path to resolution of disputes regarding public records requests. The City requests that the state allocate funding to continue the mediation process. • ELECTION OF JUDGES: Pasco opposes legislation mandating that part-time municipal court judges be elected rather than appointed. Appointed judges are equally qualified professionally and there is no compelling evidence that appointed judges are a threat to the administration of justice. In fact, requiring election of all judges would be very problematic for part-time courts, particularly in small and rural communities found throughout eastern Washington. MARIJUANA LAWS: The new recreational marijuana industry is subject to a state excise tax as high as 75%, but none of this potential funding is directed to local agencies to address public safety needs and other local impacts. The City supports sharing this revenue with the local level, maintaining local control to ban and zone marijuana businesses, and clarifying the statutes governing recreational and medical marijuana. 2015 Legislative Priorities Resolution Page 2 LABOR REFORM: One of Pasco's largest cost drivers is labor costs. The City supports legislation reducing these costs. For example, under state law, police and fire personnel are guaranteed binding arbitration for wages and benefits in lieu of the right to strike. While arbitration can be appropriate, current language obligates the arbitrator to give paramount consideration to what "comparable departments" are paying rather than the ability of the employer to absorb the cost. Modification of the arbitration statute would better balance the interests of uniformed employees with those of the taxpayer. Section 2. The City Manager is hereby directed to inform state legislators and other appropriate parties of the City's 2015 legislative priorities. PASSED by the City Council of the City of Pasco at its regular meeting this 17th day of November, 2014. Matt Watkins Mayor AT ES i 0 , J 0 D ra ark City Clerk APPR 1� AS TO FORM: Leland B. Kerr City Attorney 2015 Legislative Priorities Resolution Page 2