CITY OF SEATTLE

ORDINANCE __________________

COUNCIL BILL __________________

AN ORDINANCE relating to revenues generated from the use of school zone fixed automated traffic cameras; creating a fund for depositing such revenues; and adopting financial policies for the City of Seattle governing the fund.

WHEREAS the City of Seattle (City) is committed to maintaining high standards of financial management; and

WHEREAS, in December 2012, the City began using fixed automated cameras to enforce the school zone speed limits at four elementary schools Broadview Thompson, Gatewood, Olympic View and Thurgood Marshall and intends to expand the location of such cameras at other schools throughout the City; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of these fixed automated cameras is to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety for schoolchildren and other pedestrians; and

WHEREAS, funding for school traffic and pedestrian safety improvements from a variety of sources is limited; and

WHEREAS, the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances recommends dedicating infraction revenue from automated traffic law enforcement to road safety projects; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council intend to spend the net revenues generated by school zone fixed automated cameras either directly from camera revenues or in equivalent amounts from other funds to make traffic and pedestrian improvements in and around school zones; and

WHEREAS, the Council intends that the revenues generated by school zone fixed automated cameras expand current efforts relating to school traffic and pedestrian safety; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. A new School Zone Fixed Automated Cameras Fund is hereby created in the City Treasury effective January 1, 2014, to which revenues may be deposited, and from which associated expenditures may be paid including, but not limited to, operating, maintenance, capital and City administration costs for the purposes described in Section 2 below.

Section 2. The purpose of creating the School Zone Fixed Automated Cameras Fund is to separately account for the revenues generated by the school zone fixed automated cameras.

Section 3. The new School Zone Fixed Automated Cameras Fund shall receive all revenues from fixed automated school zone camera fines and civil penalties, and other monies as authorized by ordinance. The Fund shall receive earnings on its positive balances and pay interest on its negative balances.

Section 4. The Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation shall have responsibility for administering the Fund. The Director of Finance is authorized to create other Subfunds, Accounts, or Subaccounts as may be needed to implement the Fund's purpose and intent as established by this ordinance.

Section 5. A new chapter 5.81 and Section 5.81.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code is added to Subtitle III of Title 5 as follows:

Chapter 5.81

School Zone Fixed Automated Camera Revenues

Section 5.81.010 Financial Policies. The following financial policies govern revenues generated from school zone fixed automated camera fines or civil penalties:

A. Spending for School Traffic and Pedestrian Safety: Funding in an amount equal to the revenue generated annually by school zone fixed automated camera fines and civil penalties will be spent for school traffic and pedestrian safety and directly related infrastructure projects; pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver education campaigns; and installation, administrative, enforcement, operations and maintenance costs associated with the school zone fixed automated cameras.

B. Annual Budget Revenues and Appropriations: The Executive will propose appropriations for the items in Subsection 5.81.010A above in its annual budget submittal to the Council based on the amount of school zone fixed automated camera fines and civil penalties projected to be received in the prior budget year.

C. Year-End Report: The Executive will provide a year-end report to the City Council on school zone fixed automated camera revenue receipts, appropriation and expenditures by March 1 each year.

D. True-Up of Revenues and Expenditures: To the extent that actual annual revenues from school zone fixed automated cameras differ from the appropriations made through the annual budget, the Executive will propose appropriation changes in supplemental legislation to ensure that funding in an amount at least equal to the actual revenues generated by school zone fixed automated cameras are spent for the purposes described in Section 2 of this ordinance.

Section 6. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.

Passed by the City Council the ____ day of ________________________, 2013, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this

_____ day of ___________________, 2013.

_________________________________

President __________of the City Council

Approved by me this ____ day of _____________________, 2013.

_________________________________

Michael McGinn, Mayor

Filed by me this ____ day of __________________________, 2013.

____________________________________

Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk

(Seal)

Norm Schwab SchoolZoneCamerasFundPoliciesORD July 12, 2013 Version 5