HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-06-2017 SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGSpecial City Council Meeting
November 6, 2017 - 3:00 PM
City Hall Council Chambers
AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Sound Cities Association Legislative Agenda* (Coleman)
III. ADJOURNMENT
Agendas and minutes are available to the public at the City Clerk's Office, on the City
website (http://www.auburnwa.gov), and via e-mail. Complete agenda packets are
available for review at the City Clerk's Office.
*Denotes attachments included in the agenda packet.
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AGENDA BILL APPROVAL FORM
Agenda Subject:
Sound Cities Association Legislative Agenda
Date:
November 1, 2017
Department:
Finance
Attachments:
SCA Legislative Agenda
Memo and Attachments
Budget Impact:
$0
Administrative Recommendation:
Background Summary:
Reviewed by Council Committees:
Councilmember: Staff:Coleman
Meeting Date:November 6, 2017 Item Number:DI.A
AUBURN * MORE THAN YOU IMAGINEDDI.A Page 2 of 18
Attachment B to the October 11,2017 PIC Agenda Item 7
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DRAFT SCA 2018 Le islative A enda
Adjust the Property Tax Cap
Property taxes are the largest revenue source for Washington's cities, supporting critical services like
justice, health, and safety. However, property taxes are capped at a level that creates an ever-widening
gap between the cost of serving a growing population and the revenue available to pay for those services.
A new property tax limit should correspond to what it actually costs local governments to continue
providing services and keep up with increased public demand.
The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to give local governments the option to rep/ace the
arbitrary annual 1% cap on property tax increases with a limit tied to inflation plus popula[ion growth.
Invest in Public Health Services
The most basic services for keeping communities safe and healthy are at risk due to declining state
investment in public health—down 40% per capita since 2000 when adjusted for inflation. The Legislature
made an initial investment of$12 million in 2017 toward the roughly $400 million statewide funding gap,
but core public health needs remain unmet. For Public Health—Seattle & King County,there's a $7 million
gap in the next county budget cycle that jeopardizes the tracking, response, and prevention of disease
outbreaks and other crucial services.
i% The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to fund the core public hea/th services provided by
local health jurisdictions.
Address the Housing and Homelessness Crisis
Our communities face an affordable housing and homelessness crisis. More than 11,600 people
experience homelessness on a given night in King County, and others, including older adults and
moderate and low-wage workers of all ages, are struggling to find affordable, quality housing in our
region. Partnerships between state and local governments are critical to create new units of affordable
housing. To that end, a renewed state commitment to help Washingtonians transition out of
homelessness is now needed, as are expanded investments to address behavioral health needs and other
root causes of homelessness.
i The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to partner with us to address homelessness and
increase the supply of affordable housing in the following ways:
o Expand and make permanent the Document Recording Fee
o Invest$200 million in the Housing Trust Fund
o Allow local governments to create and preserve affordoble housing through optiona/loca/tools
The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to address other underlying causes of homelessness
by making investments in our state's behavioral healYh system and enacting legislatian to prohibit
Source of Income Discrimination.
Ocm6er 11,2017 Item 7:SCA 201 R Lr islative Agenda Pagr 26 of 57
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S
October 11, 2017
SCA PIC Meeting
Item 7:
SCA 2018 Legislative Agenda
POTENTIAL FUTURE ACTION ITEM
SCA Staff Contact
Ellie Wilson-Jones, Senior Policy Analyst, ellie@soundcities.orR, (206) 495-5238
2017-2018 SCA Legislative Committee Members
SCA President and Kenmore Mayor David Baker (Chair); Mayor Nancy Backus, Auburn; Mayor
leanne Guier, Pacific; Councilmember Amy Ockerlander, Duvall; Councilmember Ed Prince,
Renton; Deputy Mayor Catherine Stanford, Lake Forest Park
Potential Future Action
To bring the following policy position back to the next PIC meeting for possible action:
The Sound Cities Association (SCA) urges the Washington State Legislature to take the
following actions in 2018:
Adjust the Property Tax Cap
i The Sound Cities Association urges the Legis/ature to give/ocal governments the
option to replace the arbitrary annual l% cap on property tax increases with a
limit tied to inflation p/us population growth.
Invest in Public Health Services
The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to fund the core public hea/th
services provided by local health jurisdictions.
Address the Housing and Homelessness Crisis
Y The Sound Cities Associotion urges the Legislature to partner with us to address
homelessness and increase ihe supply of offordoble housing in the following ways:
o Expand and make permanent ihe Document Recording Fee
o Invest 5200 million in the Housing Trust Fund
o Allow local governments to create and preserve affordable housing
through optional local tools
Y The Sound Crties Association urges the Legislature to address other underlying
causes ojhomelessness by making investments in our stote's behavioral healih
system and enacting legislation to prohibit Source of Income Drscrimination.
Background
During the 2016 SCA Board of Directors retreat,the Board developed a strategy to "increase
SCA influence in State and County government," and adopted action items including identifying
strategic legislative priorities and forming a Legislative Committee. The Board then appointed a
Octo6er 11,2Dll Item 7:SCA 2015 Legislative Agenda Page 21 of 57
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Legislative Committee consisting of inembers from each geographic caucus, which developed a
recommended SCA 2017 Legislative Agenda. The PIC reviewed and recommended that
proposed Legislative Agenda to the SCA Board, by which it was formally adopted. The SCA 2017
Legislative Agenda is included here as Attachment A.
During each PIC meeting this year, SCA staff have reported on progress toward the priorities
outlined in SCA's 2017 Legislative Agenda: adjusting the property tax cap, investing in public
health services, and addressing the housing and homelessness crisis (see the January PIC Packet
and Meetin Minutes, February PIC Packet and Meetin Minutes, March PIC Pa ket and
Meetin Minutes, May PIC Packet and Meetin Minutes, June PIC Packet and MeetinQ Minutes,
and July PIC Packet and Meetin Minutes).
Finally, in September, after the conclusion of the regular legislative session and three special
sessions, SCA staff reported to the PIC on the final status of SCA's legislative priorities, all of
which remained largely unresolved (see the September PIC Packet and draft Meetin Minutes).
In September, SCA staff also invited PIC member input into potential SCA legislative priorities
for the coming 2018 session.
SCA Legislative Committee Recommendation
On September 20, 2017, the SCA Board of Directors appointed a 2017-18 SCA Legislative
Committee, again made up of inembers from each geographic caucus. This SCA Legislative
Committee met September 27, 2017 to consider progress toward SCA's 2017 legislative
priorities, newly emerging issues, and the outlook for the 2018 legislative session.
Members agreed that the three priorities contained in the SCA 2017 Legislative Agenda remain
unresolved after the 2017 legislative session and continue to be issues of importance to the
region. Members discussed the need to maintain consistent messaging year-to-year and pursue
a longer-term advocacy strategy to achieve the adopted priorities. The SCA Legislative
Committee agreed to recommend to the PIC and the SCA Board of Directors that the 2017
areas of focus be continued for 2018 as follows:
Adjusting the Property Tax Cap,
Investing in Public Health Services, and
Addressing the Housing and Homelessness Crisis
The SCA Legislative Committee also discussed emerging issues and weighed the benefit of
including additional items on the SCA 2018 Legislative Agenda and determined that the existing
areas of focus already encapsulate issues such as the heroin and opiate crisis and the need for
swift passage of a 2017-19 biennial capital budget.
Members discussed the relative role of the SCA Legislative Agenda and their individual city and
Association of Washington Cities (AWC) legislative strategies and concurred with last year's
legislative Committee recommendation that SCA should not duplicate the work of AWC.
Rather, SCA's Legislative Agenda should focus on areas of special concern to cities in King
County and the Puget Sound region. Furthermore, this year's SCA Legislative Committee
concurred that SCA should again develop an agenda that is high level to allow SCA to be nimble
in responding to issues as they arise during the legislative session.
October 11,2017 Item 7:SCA 2015 Legislative Agenda Page 22 of 57
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Members agreed that a draft SCA 2018 Legislative Agenda (Attachment B) should be brought to
the Public Issues Committee for review and potential initial action on October 11, 2017 with a
potential final PIC recommendation on November 8, 2017.
Proposed SCA 2018 Legislative Priorities
As noted above, the SCA Legislative Committee has developed a recommended SCA 2018
Legislative Agenda that would carry forward previously adopted priorities, each of which
remains largely unresolved after the 2017 session as described below.
Adlustin the Propertv Tax Cap
For 2017, SCA joined a coalition urging the Legislature to give local governments the option to
replace the arbitrary one percent property tax cap with a new cap that that takes into account
inflation and population growth (HB 1764/SB 5772). This year, the Legislature exempted itself
from the one percent property tax cap for purposes of new school funding but did not adjust
the cap for local governments. IYs not expected that the state will act to adjust the property tax
cap before 2021, when its own exemption is due to sunset, but continued advocacy on this
issue is anticipated. King County Executive Office staff indicate the County will continue
pursuing this priority in 2018, and that the Washington State Association of Counties is also
anticipated to include this as a 2018 priority.
Investin in Public Health Services
SCA urged the Legislature this year to fund core public health services through added
investment in local public health jurisdictions.There was a statewide funding increase of$12
million, with approximately $2 million of that going to Public Health —Seattle & King County.
This was far short of the $54 million requested for local public health jurisdictions and even
further short of the $400 million projected to be needed, meaning gaps remain in disease
prevention and response. Public Health —Seattle & King County staff indicate that public health
jurisdictions will continue to make a push for increased investment, with a specific request of
7 million for King County.
Addressin the Housin and Homelessness Crisis
Amidst the ongoing affordable housing and homelessness crisis, SCA supported work to expand
and make permanent the document recording fee, increase investment in the housing trust
fund, and add optional local tools for creating and preserving affordable housing.
This year, the document recording fee was extended at its current rate of$40 through 2023 as
part of SB 5254 which also allows a portion of REET II funding to be used for homeless housing
development through June 30, 2019 under certain conditions, among other changes. However,
broader legislation to add optional local tools for creating and preserving affordable housing
did not advance. State investment in the Housing Trust Fund has been held up by the failure to
pass a biennial capital budget. Swift passage of a capital budget will be key to expanding the
supply of affordable housing and addressing underlying causes of homelessness.
Many legislators remain committed to doing something to address the ongoing housing and
homelessness crisis in the current biennium. Work is still underway to determine what
legislation will come forward in 2018, but key proposals under discussion include a local options
October 11,2017 Item 7:SCA 2018 Legislative Agenda Page 23 of 57
DI.A Page 6 of 18
bill (HB 1797), which in its most recent iteration would make the optional 0.10 percent sales tax
for mental health servfces and affordable housing councilmanic for King County, allow for sales
tax reimbursement to cities for the construction of affordable housing and accompanying
infrastructure, and allow REET flexibility; and HB 1570, which would expand and make
permanent the document recording fee. Housing advocates also intend to proceed with
advocacy on Source of Income Discrimination (HB 1633 SB 5407).
AWC and Member City Preparetions for 2018
City finances and housing and human services needs will be a focus for AWC in 2018. Late last
month, AWC adopted four priorities for the 2018 session as follows:
Strengthen city tools to address housing conditions in our communities
Direct funds to mental health, chemical dependency, and social safety net programs
Enhance economic development tools and programs that foster business development
in cities
Preserve state-shared revenues with cities and increase law enforcement training funds
A fact sheet summarizing each of these issues is attached here as Attachment C. AWC will be
holding Regional Meetings to share these 2018 priorities with members. PIC members should
take note that the November 8 AWC Regional Meeting in Federal Way will conflict with a PIC
meeting during which the PIC may choose to act on SCA 2018 legislative priorities.
SCA member cities will also be developing 2018 legislative priorities in the coming months and
members are encouraged to share their legislative priorities with SCA stafF.
Next Steps
At the October 11, 2017 PIC meeting, the PIC will discuss whether to support the
recommendations of the SCA Legislative Committee and to bring back to the next meeting a
policy position for final action.
Attachments
A. SCA 2017 LeRislative A enda
B. Draft SCA 2018 Le islative A enda
C. AWC 2018 LeRislative Priorftfes
October 11,2017 Item 7:SCA 2018 Legislative Agenda Page 24 of 57
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Stachment A to the October 11,2017 PIC Agenda Item 7
SOUNO " .SOCIATION
One Vorte
T ,.- .., _ r,. .. . ,.I,.. l suppon and networkin [o citi: in IGn. [pi.m[y
SCA 2017 Le islative A enda
Adjust the Property Tax Cap
Property tax is the largest revenue source for Washington's cities, supporting critical services such as
justice, health, and safety. Property taxes are capped at a level that creates an ever-widening gap
between the cost of providing public services to a growing population and the revenue available to pay
for them. A new property tax limit should correspond to what it actually costs local governments to
continue providing services, and keep up with increased public demand.
r The Sound Cities Association urges the Legis/a[ure [o give local governments the option to rep/ace the
arbitrary annual l% cap on property tax revenues with a growth limit whose maximum is inflation plus
the rate of population growth.
Invest in Public Health Services
Protect our communities by investing in core public health services. The 40% per capita decrease in public
health funding since 1999 is reaching crisis levels across the state.The funding shortfall has left Public
Health—Seattle & King County unable to fully investigate disease outbreaks. The Washington State
Department of Health is requesting$54 million for local public health jurisdictions to fill critical gaps in
disease prevention and response, and to pilot shared services to improve the efficiency of the overall
system.
The Sound Cities Association urges the Legisloture to fund bosic public health by investing S54 million
in core public health services.
Address the Housing and Homelessness Crisis
Our communities face an affordable housing and homelessness crisis. Over 4,500 people are surviving
unsheltered on any given night in King County, and others, including older adults and moderate and low-
wage workers of all ages, are struggling to find affordable, quality housing in our region. Partnerships
between state and local governments are critical to create new units of affordable housing. Renewed
state commitments to help Washingtonians transition out of homelessness are necessary, as are
expanded investments to address behavioral health needs and other root causes of homelessness.
i The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to partner with us to address homelessness and
increase the supply of affordable housing in the following ways:
o Expand and make permanent the Document Recording Fee
o Invest$200 million in the Housing Trust Fund
o Allow local governments to create and preserve affordable housing Yhrough a Preservation Tax
Exemption and other optional locol tools
The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to address other underlying causes of homelessness
by making investments in our state's behavioral health system and enacting legislation to prohibit
Source of Income Discrimination.
Octo6er 11,2017 Item 7:SCA 2018 Legislative Agenda Page 25 of 57
DI.A Page 8 of 18
Attachment B m the October 11,2017 PIC Agenda Item 7
A
sour+o o< n or+
o.., v,
DRAFT SCA 2018 Le islative A enda
Adjust the Property Tax Cap
Property taxes are the largest revenue source for Washington's cities, supporting critical services like
justice, health, and safety. However, property taxes are capped at a level that creates an ever-widening
gap between the cost of serving a growing population and the revenue available to pay for those services.
A new property tax limit should correspond to what it actually costs local governments to continue
providing services and keep up with increased public demand.
The Sound Citres Association urges the Legislature to give locaf govemments the option to replace the
arbitrary annual 1% cap an property tax increases wiih a limit tied to inf/ation plus population grawth.
Invest in Public Health Services
The most basic services for keeping communities safe and healthy are at risk due to declining state
investment in public health—down 40% per capita since 2000 when adjusted for inflation.The Legislature
made an initial investment of$12 million in 2017 toward the roughly $400 million statewide funding gap,
but core public health needs remain unmet. For Public Health–Seattle & King County,there's a $7 million
gap in the next county budget cycle that jeopardizes the tracking, response, and prevention of disease
outbreaks and other crucial services.
i The Sound Cities Association urges the Legis/ature to fund the core public hea/th services provided by
local health jurisdictions.
Address the Housing and Homelessness Crisis
Our communities face an affordable housing and homelessness crisis. More than 11,600 people
experience homelessness on a given night in King County, and others, including older adults and
moderate and low-wage workers of all ages, are struggling to find affordable, quality housing in our
region. Partnerships between state and local governments are critical to create new units of affordable
housing. To that end, a renewed state commitment to help Washingtonians transition out of
homelessness is now needed, as are expanded investments to address behavioral health needs and other
root causes of homelessness.
i The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to partner with us to address homelessness and
increase the supply of affordable housing in the foUowing ways:
o Expand and make permanent the Document Recording Fee
o Invest$200 millron in the Housing Trust Fund
o Al/ow local governments to create and preserve affordoble housing through optional local tools
The Sound Cities Association urges the Legislature to address other underlying causes of homelessness
by making investments in our state's behaviora/health system and enacting legislation to prohibit
Source of Income Discrimination.
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