SUMMARY MINUTES OF DINNER MEETING

Monday, August 23, 2004

Shoreline Conference Center

6:00 p.m. Highlander Room

PRESENT: Mayor Hansen, Deputy Mayor Jepsen, Councilmembers Chang, Fimia, Gustafson, and Ransom

ABSENT: Councilmember Grace

STAFF: Steve Burkett, City Manager; Bob Olander, Deputy City Manager; Julie Modrzejewski, Assistant City Manager; and Joyce Nichols, Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Relations

GUESTS: Carolyn Edmonds, King County Councilmember

Mayor Hansen called the meeting to order at 6:25 p.m. He introduced Shoreline’s King County Councilmember, Carolyn Edmonds, noting she was in attendance to discuss the County Executive’s proposal to place a transit/roads levy on the November 2 ballot. Executive Sims had indicated over the weekend that he would not move forward with the package for the November ballot. However, Councilmember Edmonds believed it was a good idea to brief Council on the proposal, as it could resurface, or be brought back. The measure would allow King County voters to decide whether new revenues should be generated for transit and road projects and services within King County.

Councilmember Edmonds described the proposal, which includes:

· a countywide gas tax of 2.8 cents per gallon for road projects; and

· a 1/10^th-cent additional sales tax authority for Metro Transit.

The purpose of the measure would be to replace revenue for streets and roads lost when the $15 Vehicle License Fee was repealed by Initiative 776. It is estimated that the gas tax increase would generate approximately $27 million annually for King County and the cities. Gas tax is distributed to the county and cities based on population. The County estimates that Shoreline would receive about $731,703 per year from the proposed increase in the gas tax. (Shoreline lost approximately $500,000 per year due to passage of I-776.)

The combined annual impact of the taxes in this proposal would average about $42/household in King County.

Councilmember Edmonds said she was seeking feedback from the cities in her district about the proposal. Given that it would not be on the November ballot, she said she would come back if/when it was an issue.

She also responded to questions about how things were going with the Tent City in Woodinville. She noted the Woodinville City Council decided to locate the tent city on a piece of public land when difficulties surfaced with the church site. She said things were going well and the Woodinville City Council had been cooperative on the issue.

Concluding, Councilmember Edmonds said the County Executive would be presenting his budget on October 11. The County is facing a $20 million revenue shortfall for 2005. She offered to attend a Council dinner meeting in October to provide budget information and details.

On another topic, City Manager Steve Burkett reported that ten homeowners reported water inside their homes as a result of the weekend rains. City crews responded to assist the homeowners.

Mayor Hansen adjourned the meeting at 7:10 p.m.

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Joyce Nichols, Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Relations