CITY
OF
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
PRESENT: Mayor Hansen, Deputy Mayor Jepsen, Councilmembers Chang,
Fimia, Grace, and Ransom
ABSENT: Councilmember Gustafson
STAFF:
Mayor
Hansen called the meeting to order at
·
Shoreline received another $10 million for the
·
One penny of the gas tax increase will be split between cities and
counties. Getting a direct distribution
for local governments was a high priority this session. Shoreline’s share of this revenue is expected
to be: $94,115 for Fiscal Year 2006;
$214,834 for FY 2007; $230,925 for FY 2008; and $240,447 for FY 2009.
·
Shoreline received approval for its $1.2 million capital request for
the Interurban Trail and bridges that will cross
·
The budget was balanced without increasing the tax rate on
mini-casinos. A coalition of interest
groups was able to defeat Senate Bill 5287 which would have added a state tax
on top of the local tax on these establishments. (However, the Legislature DID reinstitute the estate tax; increase the taxes on cigarettes
by 60 cents/pack; and impose a $1.33 per liter tax on liquor to balance the
budget.)
Other
highlights included:
·
ESHB 2171 allows cities additional time—until December 2005—to complete
updates to their comprehensive plans and critical area ordinances. Cities taking the extra time are deemed to be
“in compliance” with the update requirement necessary to apply for Public Works
Trust Fund and Centennial Clean Water Fund grants and loans.
·
E2SSB 5454 passed on the final day of session. It raises court filing fees to be used for a
portion of district and elected municipal court judges’ salaries, and a pilot
program to improve criminal indigent defense, civil legal services and dependency
representation. The legislation also
directs an interim study of court efficiencies.
·
SHB 1000 was approved. This bill
allows cities to add electronic mail to the methods it may use to call special
meetings. This bill by was supported by
the Washington Municipal Clerks Association, and
·
Highlights of human services legislation include:
o
$80 million in proposed cuts to mental health funding was
restored. These funds maintain access to
services for people with chronic mental health concerns.
o
Delayed imposition of premiums for children’s health insurance and
improved access to health insurance by allowing eligibility determinations to
last for a 12-month period. This is a
very important prevention program for children.
o
Restored funds for the Readiness to Learn program. In Shoreline, RTO funds family advocates at
Kellogg, Shorecrest and Parkwood schools.
This is a critical prevention/intervention program for school-age
children and their families.
o
The Housing Trust Fund received a $20 million increase over the coming
biennium, bringing the trust fund total to $100 million to help support
development of affordable housing such as the Vet’s Center.
Ms.
Nichols described some disappointing things that did/did not happen during the
2005 session, including:
·
No streamlined sales tax measure was approved. The overriding issue is still how much and
for how long mitigation should be provided to jurisdictions “losing” sales tax
revenue under a change in how sales tax revenues are distributed—from the
existing point of sale distribution method to point of delivery.
·
The budget approved by the Legislature is not sustainable in future
years. State spending increased 12%
under this budget. Revenues are not increasing
at that rate.
·
The legislature did not pass any local options for funding
transportation projects and services.
Local options would help cities replace revenue lost due to passage of
Initiative 776 and help cities replace and repair their transportation
infrastructure.
·
SSB 5494 proposed to “freeze” the number and location of social card
rooms at the current number (plus those applications in process) as a means of
dealing with clarifying local land use and zoning authority regarding
gambling. This bill was in play until
the final days of the session, but no final action was taken. We will continue to work with interested
legislators on this issue during the interim.
Councilmember
Ransom brought two items for discussion from the Suburban Cities Association
Public Involvement Committee:
·
King Conservation District assessment increase; and
·
Potential annexation areas and
Council
discussed each of these.
Mayor
Hansen adjourned the meeting at
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