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Home My WebLink About5800 RESOLUTION NO. 5800 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, ADOPTING THE 2025 STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA WHEREAS, the actions of the Washington State Legislature in respect to local government issues, services, and funding have a profound effect on the City's ability to provide local services to its residents; and WHEREAS, the Auburn City Council believes that it is appropriate to communicate its position regarding issues affecting the City and local government that may come before the State Legislature during the 2025 Legislative Session. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, RESOLVES as follows: Section 1. The City Council adopts its 2025 Legislative Agenda as set forth in Exhibit A. Section 2. The Mayor shall cause a copy of this Resolution be delivered to the City's State Legislative District Representatives and to other regional government entities. • Resolution No. 5800 November 26, 2024 Page 1 of 2 Section 3. This Resolution will take effect and be in full force on passage and signatures. Dated and Signed this 2nd day of December, 2024. CITY OF AUBURN NANCY A US, MAYOR ATTEST: APP' o E I AS T e 1-1 ' A Shawn Campbell, MMC, City Clerk Ja.on Whalen, City Attorney • Resolution No. 5800 November 26, 2024 Page 2 of 2 EXHIBIT A 2025 State Legislative Priorities The City of Auburn,like most communities,faces a number of issues that impact our community.What is becoming very clear,we cannot treat each issue as separate.Instead,the City is committed to continue efforts that look at solving our challenges in a comprehensive manner.Our belief is that the following problems can only be solved with an interconnected strategy for success. PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE:Rehabilitate existing affordable housing.There are very few programs that help maintain older homes and multifamily complexes ISSUE:The City of Auburn supports the continued reforms --- which results in one of two outcomes(1)older properties are maintained to policing and community caretaking in our State and O appropriately,but the investment is reflected in increasing rental costs, wishes to continue working in concert with legislators, \ or(2)older properties are not maintained which helps keep rental costs police officers,our communities and others to continue V down but at the sake of declining health and safety for tenants. this effort. REQUEST:Create dedicated funds to put towards the rehabilitation REQUEST:Work with cities to make technical fixes those bills in which of single or multifamily units because it is far less expensive and language is vague,conflicting or confusing. environmentally sustainable to preserve existing housing stock instead of building new units and will ensure housing stock is readily available ISSUE:Police agencies are currently in a staffing crisis.As we seek to in the market. fill vacated positions,we will need tools to ensure our departments are fully staffed and able to effectively respond to local public safety needs. ISSUE:The large number of regulatory processes are a hindrance REQUEST:Additional funding for officer wellness and DEI staffing within to bringing affordable housing projects to fruition including SEPA, police agencies. GMA,NPDES.State Environmental Policy Act(SEPA)is an outdated and overly burdensome process that adds time and money.Growth REQUEST:Additional funding sources for officer recruitment and Management Act(GMA)and affordable housing objectives are at direct retention.Possibly through a councilmanic public safety sales tax, odds because the GMA limits supply which increases costs.National impact fees or direct funding from the state. Pollutant Discharge Elimination System(NPDES)adds significant cost to development which is passed on to future owners or tenants. ISSUE:Impacts to towing companies from the Seattle v.Long decision REQUEST Allow procedural relief for any mandates that the State force cities to expend more sums for towing services. Legislature imparts upon cities.Work with cities to make it easier for us REQUEST:Additional dedicated funding to cities for towing services,or to update our local laws if or when it is in response to a State mandate an increase in funding to the State reimbursement account under RCW rather than having to go through all of the obligations related to the 46.53.010 planning commission,SEPA,public notice,etc. ISSUE:Ongoing public safety issues related to illegal drug use. ISSUE:The 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions introduced a high REQUEST:Restore drug free school zones and expand to community volume of planning and zoning changes centered around affordable parks housing.The City of Auburn supports efforts to address the current housing crisis in Washington,and in King County specifically,and want REQUEST:Additional funding to implement new law(Blake fix) to part of the solution. REQUEST Ongoing funding for therapeutic courts,recovery programs REQUEST:Allow cities time to respond to the recent changes in in jails and after treatment supports planning and zoning laws from 2023 and 2024 and also to ensure the changes are accomplishing the desired results. REGULATORY & LAND USE REQUEST:Remedy conflicting or vague language in the multitude of planning and zoning bills passed in recent years.For example,the ISSUE:Affordable housing needs are deeper than 60% J'ILSk definition of a transit stop varies widely between bills. AMI—more like 50%or 40%.Washington State Housing O Finance Commission programs are providing great QP I:1 L I support for projects that hit the 60%AMI mark. PUBLIC WORKS, TRANSPORTATION, REQUEST:Create incentives to hit the deeper marks since that is where INFRASTRUCTURE the greatest need exists. ISSUE:It is critical to protect all of the State funds that support local REQUEST:Future legislation related to affordable housing,missing transportation projects.The cities cannot do this on their own given middle housing or other land use laws must provide safe harbor for the amount of growth and commerce in the region.This includes those cities that are creating or in the process of creating their Housing maintained or increased funding for Transportation Improvement Board Action Plan(HAP)in line with previous legislative actions that included (TIB)and Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board(FMSIB)along with grant funding provided by the State Legislature. state grant programs managed by the WSDOT for local agency projects. Contact Dana Hinman, Director of Administration �C,ITTY�TQF • Office:253-931-4009 I Cell: 253-266-2787 eT_y` dhinman@auburnwa.gov /� WASII!NGTON 2025 State Legislative Priorities REQUEST:Fund a$2.5M Implementation Plan for the REQUEST:In order to address this crisis,we need to fund all aspects of SR167 Master Plan that was completed in 2023.The affordable housing,including: Master Plan was an important first step in meeting the t ` /r • Homeownership for moderate income households and below needs of the underserved communities along the SR167 �,rj • Preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing(NOAH) corridor and the legislature needs to support the next • Land acquisition to secure permanent affordability step of creating the implementation plan so that the projects envisioned • Permanent supportive housing(PSH) collaboratively in the Master Plan have the potential to be completed • Infrastructure around affordable housing developments and provide the benefit to the region that was identified in the plan and . Workforce housing is needed in the region. REQUEST:Increase the councilmanic ability to levy sales taxes for PARKS AND OPEN SPACES infrastructure. 4 REQUEST:Make changes to appropriate RCWs to allow Municipalities ISSUE:Help cities protect and maintain parks and open to charge properties for street lighting.Current RCW 54.16.120 allows spaces Utility Districts to charge properties for providing street lighting,but REQUEST:Maintain funding for the Washington Recreation& the law does not allow Municipalities to do this.Current revenues for general fund use cannot meet the needs and charging for street lighting Conservation Office and Land/Water Conservation Fund so residents have would be an appropriate way to address a specific service being increased access to existing and new public spaces provided to residents and businesses within a jurisdiction. REQUEST:Support Washington State Historical Society's(WSHS)capital REQUEST:Retain or increase the Public Works Trust Fund amount.The budget request and the Heritage Capital Projects in the 2025-2027 legislature continues to raid this fund to fix structural budget issues and funding biennium which includes the transformation of Auburn's Historic it must stop.The PWTF it is key to providing funding for local agency Post office building into an Arts&Culture Center projects. REQUEST:Support Recreation and Conservation Office(RCO)request REQUEST:Retain and increase the Drinking Water State Revolving for municipal parks deferred maintenance grant funding program in the Fund.This fund is key for local water purveyors to cost effectively fund 2025-27 Operating Budget needed infrastructure projects. ur REQUEST:Support allocating 1%of the existing aviation fuel tax to BUDGET & FINANCE WSDOT's Aviation account to fund airport projects.Current levels of 4111101. funding cannot meet the growing need to maintain and improve this ISSUE:The arbitrary 1%property tax cap is regressive 4t)-- important infrastructure that provides a significant benefit to commerce and hinders growth in Washington state.The City of and the State's economy. Auburn supports a commonsense reform to this cap. REQUEST:Support the industry and federal efforts to develop a REQUEST:Revise the cap by tying it to inflation and population growth replacement fuel to 100 Low-Lead for aviation uses that works for all with a limit of 3% aircraft without adding additional time constraints for Washington State only that will only negatively impact these industries and users within Washington. ISSUE:The leasehold excise tax can be interpreted in many ways according to the Department of Revenue and causes confusion within SOCIAL SERVICES local jurisdictions. ISSUE:Cities throughout the state do not have the local REQUEST:Provide greater clarification on what is considered a benefit et, and who the beneficiary is to ensure equitable application of the law resources available to adequately address homelessness, li, substance abuse disorders and untreated mental illness. REQUEST:Support greater funding for behavioral health programs and incentivize workers to pursue careers in behavioral health REQUEST:Support and fund programs that will alleviate the need for - police response to quality-of-life issues such as mental distress or illness, Mayor substance abuse and persons experiencing homelessness Nancy Backus I REQUEST:Make any necessary changes to State laws that prohibit cities Deputy Mayor *r' from hiring Mental Health Professionals or Designated Crisis Responders p y y CITY OFs..__:_—..---- from REQUEST:Provide clarification on the qualified use of Trueblood dollars Larry Brown UBURI�T to ensure the continuum of care in local communities Councilmembers 'S-'-� " WASHINGTON / REQUEST:Support the construction and operation of tiny home villages Yolanda Trout-Manuel that provide permanent supportive housing using a community living Kate Baldwin 25 West Main Street concept. Auburn,WA 98001 ISSUE:South King County is facing a growing affordable housing crisis. Cheryl Rakes 253-931-3000 As a member of the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners Tracy Taylor auburnwa.gov (SKHHP),we pool funds with other cities to support the production and Clinton Taylor preservation of affordable housing in South King County,but we need more help. Hanan Amer