A RESOLUTION setting forth the 1999 State Legislative Agenda of the City of Seattle.

WHEREAS, the fundamental purpose of city government is to provide its citizens the highest level of service in the most efficient and costeffective manner possible; and

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle's Legislative Agenda is built with input from our City departments, elected officials, and regional governmental agencies and advocates, and the City will lobby the legislature in cooperation with these entities; and

WHEREAS, a statewide transportation revenue package is critically needed in 1999 so that Seattle can address its transportation maintenance backlog and begin work on major transportation construction projects. Elements of a transportation revenue package should include increased gas tax revenues to cities, a menu of local revenue options to replace the street utility tax, and a state commitment to addressing regional congestion problems with a variety of solutions; and

WHEREAS, if Business and Occupation tax legislation is passed in 1999, the solution must not endanger local government authority or revenues; and

WHEREAS, Seattle City Light is a consumer-owned utility dedicated to providing low-cost, safe, reliable, and environmentally sound power; and

WHEREAS, the efficient use of existing water resources and the availability of adequate water to meet future municipal needs are of prime concern to Seattle elected officials; and

WHEREAS, Seattle elected officials believe the state response to passage of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 should retain local legislative authority to manage and operate the public right-ofway; and

WHEREAS, Seattle elected officials believe the State has a key roll in protecting the quality of life of our citizens, and the 1999-2000 biennial budget should support local priorities. These include addressing our infrastructure needs, educating our children, providing opportunities to help all our citizens succeed economically, investing in salmon recovery, assuring public safety, and working to meet the basic health, food and shelter needs of our most vulnerable populations; and

WHEREAS, Seattle elected officials are strongly committed to the principles of civil equality and fairness, value the diversity of our communities, and believe discrimination in any form is intolerable and has no place in this state;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:

Section 1. Achievement of the goals set forth in the attached 1999 State Legislative Agenda through passage of laws or amendments to existing laws or to the State Constitution shall be given substantial efforts by the City of Seattle during the 1999 session of the Washington State Legislature.

Section 2. The Mayor and City Council President may authorize departmental representatives and the Office of Intergovernmental Relations to represent the City on additional issues by placing a jointly signed letter on file with the City Clerk.

Adopted by the City Council the _____ day of _______________, 1998, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this _____ day of _______________, 1998.

________________________________________

President of the City Council

THE MAYOR CONCURRING:

________________________________________

Paul Schell, Mayor

Filed by me this _____ day of _______________, 1998.

________________________________________

City Clerk

(Seal)

CT, LC, SC, BB, SD/amcc STLeg99 10/16/98 V #1

I. TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

A. PROVIDE LOCAL OPTIONS FUNDING

i. Viable Local Option Gas Tax

Support increasing the local option gas tax authority from the current 10% to 20%, or 4.6 cents per gallon, with a public vote. These funds are crucial to our ability to address the backlog of road repairs and City transportation projects, as well as to help provide the local match for regional transportation projects. We support a legislative solution to ensure that local jurisdictions will be able to collect this tax in the most efficient and least burdensome manner possible.

ii. Other Local Transportation Options

Support AWC's broader package of local options, which may include proposals such as a city vehicle license fee, a .1% sales tax, a road district levy, and other proposals.

B. ENSURE FUNDING FOR PRIORITY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

i. State Funding Distribution

As the Legislature determines funding for some DOT projects, it is critical that Seattle and our region receive a proportional share of the funding for key projects, including those increasing freight mobility, transit, and transportation alternatives.

ii. TEA-21 Distribution

We join other local and regional government entities and interest groups in supporting distribution of these federal funds through a locally-driven process, targeting local priorities.

II. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

A. SALMON RECOVERY AND THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Participate in planning and funding efforts to identify and generate revenues to pay for the development and implementation of salmon recovery plans required to adequately respond to the ESA.

B. ELECTRIC UTILITY TAXATION / LONG TERM POWER SUPPLY CONTRACTS

Support legislation authorizing cities served wholly or in part by another municipality's electric utility to aggregate their residential and small commercial customers' power needs and enter into long term power supply contracts with the municipal electric utility. Broaden the authority for cities to impose franchise fees on municipal electric utilities.

C. TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Support legislation that retains local authority to:

a. Manage pole attachments and public rights-of-way

b. Negotiate cable franchises

c. Receive appropriate compensation through taxes and/or fees for the use of publicly owned

infrastructure.

III. EDUCATION

A. PROVIDE FULL FUNDING AND HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR K-12 EDUCATION

Support continuation of efforts to fully implement education reform and legislative efforts that link increased flexibility in the use of state resources with greater accountability in schools. To assure that all students have the resources they need to succeed, we support the efforts of the Seattle School District and others to secure funding that recognizes the differential educational needs of children on a student-by-student basis. We also support legislation which fully funds all day kindergarten.

IV. WELFARE REFORM

A. REINVEST SAVINGS TO HELP FAMILIES SUCCEED

In order to ensure the long-term economic stability of families who are currently on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), it is critical that caseload savings be reinvested in the program. Some key areas where these funds should be reinvested include:

a. Child care

b. Job training before and after a job is found, to help workers find a job with a living wage and get on a path toward upward mobility

c. Invest directly in the Seattle Jobs Initiative and other local initiatives

d. ESL integrated with training

e. Housing assistance

f. Up-front screening to fully determine barriers to employment

g. Better links to services such as help with domestic violence, substance abuse, and health care

h. Use of a diversion program to keep families off assistance

i. Case management and better coordination of services for the "hardest to serve"

V. AFFORDABLE AND LOW-INCOME HOUSING

A. STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND

We strongly support an increase in the biannual funding level of the State Housing Trust Fund from the current $54.7 million to $100 million. These funds can be used for new projects, Section 8 preservation, farmworker housing, and addressing part of the Homeless Children's Law Suit.

B. LOCAL FUNDING SOURCE FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSING

Assist King County and other jurisdictions in securing a dedicated local funding source for low-income housing.

I. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

A. WATER RESOURCE ISSUES

i. Water Conservation and Water Rights

Support legislation that:

a. Promotes water conservation

b. Facilitates water transfers and interties

c. Clarifies the nature and extent of municipal water rights

d. Recognizes the water interests of municipalities and water districts

e. Provides adequate funding for basin assessments and watershed planning

f. Recognizes that growth must pay for itself

ii. Watershed Planning and Salmon Recovery

Refine watershed planning and salmon recovery legislation passed last session to fit more

succinctly with municipal needs and priorities

II. PROMOTE AND PRESERVE A QUALITY COMMUNITY

A. ENSURE HOUSING FOR CHILDREN

i. Homeless Children's Lawsuit Response

Support solutions to the Homeless Children's Lawsuit, including the following recommendations:

a. Increased funding for the Housing Trust Fund for operational and capital priorities

b. Additional emergency shelter flexibility and funding

c. Sponsor a landlord/tenant summit

d. Improve state employee training on addressing homeless issues

e. Determine why TANF eligible families are not participating in the program

f. Improve data collection, reporting and coordination of services and information

ii. Homeless Youth

Preserve funding in the budget for youth shelters. Increase funding for long term and emergency shelter, other forms of residential care, transitional housing, and support for homeless adolescent youth.

B. CREATE A METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT

Support amending the Metropolitan Park District Act in order to make it more effective for use by the City of Seattle for Zoo and Aquarium governance, as well as dedicated funding.

C. PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CIVIC INSTITUTIONS

i. Seattle Center Redevelopment

Support including $10 million in the State Capital Budget for Seattle Center Redevelopment Phase II.

ii. Library Construction

Support exempting library construction projects from paying sales tax on construction expenditures.

D. CIVIL RIGHTS

i. Equal Rights For All

Support legislation that would protect gay and lesbian students from harassment and physical harm.

Support passage of legislation to add sexual orientation as a protected class in state civil rights laws against discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, or financial services. Oppose legislation that would discriminate against individuals based on their sexual orientation, including areas such as adoption, public services and benefits.

ii. Affirmative Action

Affirmative action programs continue to be an important part of our personnel programs and reflect our priority of creating a workforce that is enriched by the variety of people we have in our community. Support efforts to ensure continued access by minorities and women to higher education and employment opportunities.

III. PRESERVE LOCAL CONTROL

A. PROTECT LOCAL B&O AUTHORITY

Preserve local authority to levy and collect local B&O taxes.

I. ADMINISTRATIVE AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT

A. STATE INDUSTRIAL INSURANCE AND INTERLOCAL COOPERATION STATUTES TO

ADDRESS REGIONAL COOPERATION

Support legislation that would amend state industrial insurance law and interlocal cooperation law to allow the provision of goods and services between government agencies and between government agencies and non-profits, such that the remedy of any employee injured while utilizing another government agency's goods or services receives industrial insurance through their employer.

B. ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS

Support legislation to allow courts to issue civil warrants for the purpose of conducting housing, property and health inspections.

C. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE LAW

Support legislation to modify state public disclosure law to protect personal information.

D. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM

Support legislation to modify the state employees retirement system membership regulations to clarify that employees working part time in more than one public retirement system can receive benefits from both systems commensurate with the time spent in each system.

E. ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Support securing state financial assistance in the hosting of the Asian Development Bank Board of Directors meeting in Seattle in 2001.

II. EDUCATION

A. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, MODERNIZATION, AND REPAIR

Support sales tax exemption for school construction, modernization, and repair.

B. OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO LEARNING

Support efforts to ensure that students with barriers to learning are given equal opportunities to learn through mechanisms including:

a. Preservation of bilingual education

b. Increased funding for Readiness to Learn programs statewide

III. HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS

A. HOUSING

i. State Family Housing Stability Project

Support up to one year housing assistance payments to help low-income households facing eviction, foreclosure or relocation due to lack of income, loss of housing unit, domestic violence or other related issues. These payments should be linked to related services to help families.

ii. Tax Incentives for Affordable/Low-Income Housing

Support property and/or sales tax exemptions for construction, renovation, or operation of low-income housing, particularly for project-based Section 8 Housing. Support incentives to lenders providing financing for moderate or low-income first time home buyers.

iii. Tenant/Landlord Issues

Support continued local control and autonomy by maintaining and enhancing current state law to ensure the ability to set standards for tenant/landlord relationships that reflect the needs of our community.

iv. Bond Cap For Housing

Support the Housing Finance Commission's efforts to increase the state bond cap dedicated to housing.

B. HOMELESSNESS

i. Emergency Shelter Assistance Program (ESAP)

Increase funding to $10 million for Emergency Shelter Assistance Program (ESAP). ESAP provides funding to shelters throughout the State to provide basic operation and support services.

ii. Farmworker Housing

Support recommendations by the Affordable Housing Action Board (AHAB) and other housing advocates to fund farmworker housing needs for permanent and temporary housing.

IV. HUMAN SERVICES

A. HUNGER AND NUTRITION

i. Food Stamp Outreach

Support restoration of $225,000 to the Food Stamp Outreach Program.

ii. Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP)

Support a request of the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition for a $1.171 million increase in the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP).

B. CHILD CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

i. Eligibility for Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP)

Expand eligibility for ECEAP, making eligibility and funding levels similar to other Head Start and public programs.

ii. Child Care

Support increased funding to ensure quality child care through:

a. Wage enhancement for child care workers

b. State reimbursement rates to the 75th percentile

c. Incentives for businesses to provide child care

d. Increased state subsidies for child care up to 200% of the federal poverty level

e. Funding for homeless child care

f. Increased rates for the child care nutrition program

iii. School-Age Care Programs

Increase funding for operational costs of programs that serve lowincome elementary and middle school students before/after school and during breaks. Increase reimbursement rates and/or funding for providers serving special needs children.

C. IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE SERVICES

i. Assistance with Access to Services

Support increased services to immigrants and refugees (youth and families) to assist with school and after school, juvenile justice system, social services, work/training, child care, parenting, and acculturation.

ii. Citizenship Programs

Preserve the state naturalization assistance program, guaranteeing immigrants access to state funded safety net programs such as TANF, GA-U, and food stamps. Allow state citizenship programs to coordinate funding with local initiatives.

D. ECONOMIC SERVICES

i. General Assistance-Unemployable (GA-U)

Support the continued programmatic and funding integrity for the GA-U program. Support expansion of the Belltown-supported employment pilot project to expand locations in Seattle and other cities.

ii. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

Support changing the TANF policy requiring women with children over 3 months old to go to work

(see Critical Issues--Regional Priorities).

E. AGING AND ADULT SERVICES

I. Home Care and Chore Services

Preserve eligibility and funding for home care and the chore services program.

V. LAND USE PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS

A. LAND USE STATUTES

Support use of the Growth Management Act as the primary means of planning for growth in our city, region, and state. Support ongoing efforts of the Land Use Study Commission to further integrate and streamline state land use and related statutes including SEPA, GMA, SMA and LUPA. Oppose legislation weakening these statutes, promoting sprawl, or financially burdening local governments.

B. INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

Support efforts to identify funding sources for critical infrastructure needs, and commitment of state funds to meet those needs.

VI. PARKS AND RECREATION

A. LOCAL PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS

Support the Inter-Agency Committee For Outdoor Recreation's (IAC) Washington Wildlife Recreation Program (WWRP) appropriation in the Capital Budget at $70 million and the Department of Natural Resources' Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA) program at $6 million.

VII. PUBLIC HEALTH

A. BASIC HEALTH PLAN (BHP)

Support efforts to increase BHP funding, protect services, and increase access to the sponsorship program by allowing clients to be sponsored for an unlimited amount of time, and to make premiums paid by BHP sponsors no greater than the individual premium.

B. CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP)

Support the Children's Health Insurance Program which authorizes coverage for children in families from 200% to 250% of the federal poverty level. Providing health insurance for these children will provide access to preventive services, improve their health status, and reduce costs to the community. Support improved outreach to children who are currently eligible for subsidized health insurance.

C. EXISTING MINORS CONSENT LAW

Support the current statute and case law allowing minors to consent to specific health and mental health services.

D. CURRENT LEVELS AND FOCUS OF FAMILY PLANNING FUNDING

Support current levels and focus of family planning. Through allocations to the Department of Health and the Department of Social Services, the community receives critical reproductive health/family planning services and education.

E. INSURANCE COVERAGE PARITY FOR CONTRACEPTIVE SERVICES

Support insurance coverage parity for contraceptive services. The 1998 legislation was reviewed by the Department of Health for its cost/benefit and will be re-introduced during the 1999 session.

F. BREAST AND CERVICAL HEALTH FUNDING

Support efforts to allocate state funding for breast and cervical cancer screening for low -income, uninsured women age 40+ within the Breast and Cervical Health Program. Support state policy discussion and long term planning for the BCHP.

G. WATER SAFETY FOR CHILDREN

Support for requiring personal floatation devices for children under 12 years of age.

H. MOTOR VEHICLES EXCISE TAX (MVET) CONTRIBUTIONS

Support ensuring that MVET contributions continue with mitigation specific to Seattle and

King County being maintained as necessary.

I. FUNDING FOR HIV PROGRAMS

Support full funding on an entitlement basis for coverage of Persons Living with HIV Under Medicaid and for anti-viral drugs under the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Also support full funding for HIV programs providing outreach, public education, prevention services, and care to HIV-positive individuals, particularly those who are high-risk or lowincome.

VIII. PUBLIC SAFETY

A. INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTI-FRAUD LAWS

Support updating fraud laws to reflect the types of crimes that are currently being committed within the City and within the State of Washington, specifically the crime of Counterfeiting Checks and also the crime of Criminal Impersonation using computer technology.

B. JUVENILE JUSTICE

Support increasing funds for youth violence and delinquency prevention programs, including passage of the Juvenile Crime Deterrence Act, a program dedicated to prevention and early intervention with at-risk youth, helping to keep them out of the juvenile justice system.

C. CHRONIC PUBLIC INEBRIATES (CPI)

The Chronic Public Inebriate population has been a particularly difficult group to serve. Those who are not on the street are often in our jails or our hospitals, requiring the time of our law enforcement and medical professionals without finding an ongoing solution. The CPI work group was formed and has come up with the following recommendations we support:

i. Better Service Integration

Many individuals have a "dual diagnosis"; they are both chemically dependent and mentally ill. Support legislation that will change existing confidentiality statutes to allow and foster exchange of chemical dependency and mental illness treatment-related information among professional providers.

ii. Flexibility in Funding Use

Support legislation that allows more flexibility in the use of categorical moneys in the state Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA) to allow for more flexible use of the funds at the local level, targeting critical populations.

iii. Restricted Liquor Zones

Allow local governments to establish restricted liquor zones to control the sale of fortified alcohol in certain urban areas in order to reduce the concentrations of chronic public inebriates.

D. PRESERVE CURRENT CIVIL ABATEMENT STATUTE

Support the existing civil abatement-seizure law which allows police and prosecutors to address threatening criminal acts.

E. SAFE FIREARM STORAGE

Support legislation making it a gross misdemeanor to store or leave a loaded firearm where an unsupervised child is likely to gain access and obtain possession of the firearm.

IX. TRANSPORTATION

A. PARKING TAX

Support amending RCW 82.80.030 to allow local jurisdictions to impose a parking tax on employer-leased and employer-owned parking as an appropriate user-based, local transportation funding source. Hold discussions with members of the business community and regional partners to determine how the tax would be implemented.

X. UTILITIES

A. ELECTRIC UTILITY RESTRUCTURING

Support legislation that does the following:

a. Retains local legislative authority over consumer-owned electric utilities

b. Preserves affordable electric power for consumers

c. Maintains system reliability

d. Provides an equitable tax structure that preserves existing revenues

B. LOW-INCOME HOUSING ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)

Support legislation that provides tax credits to utilities that donate funds to low-income energy assistance programs.

C. UTILITY LIENS

Support legislation that provides municipalities with the authority to share and exchange billing information between utilities.

D. UTILITY RELOCATION COSTS

Support legislation that affirms the duty of private utilities to bear the costs of relocating their facilities within city rights-of-way when requested by a city.

E. ENSURE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES

Support the establishment of a minimum requirement for all utilities to devote 3% of retail revenues toward spending for public purposes (including conservation, low-income weatherization, and new renewables), as recommended by the Regional Review.

F. TOXIC CONTROLS ACCOUNT

Preserve funding in the local toxic controls account for related local uses.

G. WASTEWATER CAPACITY CHARGES

Support legislation that removes the current restriction on wastewater capacity charges.

H. BILLING DISPUTES

Support legislation that provides limited flexibility to public utilities in settling billing disputes with customers.