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Home My WebLink About3804 Resolution RESOLUTION NO.3S('7' A RESOLUTION declaring the City's legislative priorities for the 2018 session of the Washington State Legislature. WHEREAS,the 2018 session of the Washington State Legislature commences on January 8; 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 conditions impacting the City and opportunities to improve the services the City provides to its citizenry; and WHERAS, the City Council desires to identify its legislative priorities for the 2018 legislative session so they can be provided to state legislators 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 2018 legislative session. ■ REIMBURSE CITY FUNDS THAT BACKFILLED DWSRF LOAN: Due to an error in the "re-appropriations only" 2017-2019 Capital Budget, and the failure of the Legislature to adopt a capital budget, jurisdictions that received Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Loans in previous biennia were issued stop work orders on projects that were mid- construction. The City of Pasco received one of these loans for the Columbia Water Supply Project. Because the project was already under construction, the City would have incurred significant penalties had it stopped work. Instead, the City used City funds to continue the project. The City requests budget proviso language retroactively reimbursing Pasco and similarly-situated jurisdictions that continued to move projects forward on time, and within budget. • PEANUTS COMMUNITY PLAZA: At the epicenter of downtown Pasco is Peanuts Park, the primary and historic gathering place for the community. Named after Peanuts, a dedicated resident who shared his love of community through candy, the park today is the heart of a culturally diverse downtown core. The City seeks $1 million in funding for Phase 1 of this project to revitalize the downtown plaza, upgrading this important community gathering place in a way that will spur economic development. • LEWIS STREET OVERPASS: The City of Pasco is currently completing design of the Lewis Street Overpass project. The project replaces a deteriorating and functionally obsolete 1937 underpass on a former state highway. The Connecting Washington package included $15 million in state funding for the overpass. It is likely that the project will exceed this funding allocation, and additional funding sources will need to be identified. • PASCO DNR PROPERTY: The City of Pasco hopes to continue working collaboratively with the Department of Natural Resources to facilitate the sale of the commercially-zoned properties west of Road 68, along the Chapel Hill Road alignment. • ALLOW CITY PUBLIC FACILITY DISTRICT TO FUND AQUATIC CENTER: The Pasco Public Facility District (PFD) would like to fund and construct an aquatic center. Regional and county PFDs are authorized to construct "recreational facilities"; however, city PFDs are not. The City requests legislation or a local tool to bring this project to fruition. • ENSURE SAFETY FOR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY RIDERS: The City of Pasco opposes any statewide regulation of Transportation Network Companies (e.g. Uber, Lyft, etc.) that does not provide adequate safety measures for riders, including a requirement that TNC drivers undergo a background check that includes fingerprinting. • LABOR REFORM: The City supports legislation reducing labor costs. Modification of the arbitration statute to provide clarity on "comparability" would better balance the interests of uniformed employees with those of the taxpayer. • FINANCE/GENERAL GOVERNMENT • State-Shared Revenues: Pasco receives approximately $1.3 million annually from the state, categorized as "state-shared revenues." Pasco supports restoring liquor profit revenues to pre-2012 levels by removing the 2011 cap, and restoring the 50/50 revenue sharing relationship over multiple biennia and dedicate the revenue to public safety. • Election of Judges: Pasco opposes legislation mandating that part-time municipal court judges be elected rather than appointed. • Voting Laws: Pasco supports legislation that changes the state voting laws to allow greater flexibility for local jurisdictions to meet federal Voting Rights Act goals, and provides such jurisdictions safe harbor from litigation. • INFRASTRUCTURE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • Model Toxics Control Account: Pasco supports funding solutions to the Model Toxics Control Account that maintain and increase funding to storm water and clean up. • Infrastructure Program Funding: Pasco supports full funding of programs that support development and maintenance of local infrastructure such as the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB). • Economic Development Tools: Pasco supports reinvigorating economic development programs currently in statute that now remain unfunded, such as the Local Revitalization Fund (LRF), the Local Infrastructure Financing Tool (LIFT), the Job Development Fund (JDF), and others. Additionally, Pasco supports establishing a tax increment financing or value capture financing program, similar to what is established in other states. • Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program: Pasco supports legislation that increases the tax credit limits and makes necessary administrative changes to the Main Street Tax Incentive Program. • Waste Water Treatment Facility Funding: The City supports state increased funding opportunities for publically owned waste water industrial facilities. 2018 Legislative Priorities Resolution Page 2 • PUBLIC SAFETY • BLEA Funding: Pasco supports ongoing funding for the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. • Funding to Reduce Gang Violence: Pasco supports proposals that increase funding to reduce gang violence throughout the state. • Marijuana Laws: Pasco supports solutions to assist local governments in implementation of the recreational marijuana system, and supports policies that retain local authority on regulations that govern marijuana production or sale. • Body-worn Cameras: Pasco will monitor recommendations from the task force on body worn cameras, established by the 2016 Legislature. • LOCAL CONTROL • 5G/Telecommunications: Pasco supports legislation that recognizes local solutions and flexibility with the deployment of small cell technology. • All-Terrain Vehicles: Pasco opposes legislation that restricts its ability to respond to ATV use within the city. • Breed Based Canine Restrictions: Pasco opposes legislation that removes its ability to restrict ownership of dangerous breeds of dogs from within the community. • LAND USE • Notification of Pre-Annexation Agreements: The City supports legislation improving notification of existing pre-annexation agreements in the home buying process. • Annexation of Unincorporated Islands: Pasco opposes legislation mandating cities to annex unincorporated islands, but supports incentives that encourage annexation, such as lowering the percentage of petition signers needed to annex unincorporated islands. • SEPA Reform: Pasco supports efforts to reform the State Environmental Policy Act to streamline the process and remove items from the SEPA analysis that duplicate work already being completed by other ordinances and laws. Section 2. The City Manager is hereby directed to inform state legislators and other appropriate parties of the City's 2018 legislative priorities. PASSED by the City Council of the City of Pasco at its regular meeting this 4th day of December, 2018. Matt Watkins, Mayor AT ST: APP VED AS TO FORM: /4/ tho Daniela Erickson, City Clerk Leland B. Kerr, City Attorney 2018 Legislative Priorities Resolution Page 3