Legislators focus on state budget proposals

With two weeks remaining in the 2009 legislative session, attention is focused on state budget proposals. Governor Gregoire, the Senate and the House have each released their proposed versions of the 2009-11 Biennial Budget. It comes as no surprise that the state’s growing budget deficit will translate into significant cuts. With the exception of infrastructure funding, many of the major budget resources important to cities remain intact in the proposed budgets. Of course, that could change between now and when the final budget is adopted.

AWC will continue to engage in the budget discussions and post information to our website as it becomes available. Please watch for action alerts and other legislative communications over the next two weeks.

The last day of the regular legislative session is Sunday, April 26, and the pace is frantic to move, amend or defeat bills prior to the end of session.

Here’s the status of key remaining city bills:

• Modifying local option taxes (2SSB 5433)
  2SSB 5433 has become the preferred vehicle to advance many priority fiscal city issues that died earlier in the legislative session. This bill would provide cities and counties greater flexibility with existing revenues and authorization for new revenue options with specific limitations. The bill was moved to the House floor calendar on April 8. See the Municipal Finance section of this Bulletin for a list of items obtained in the bill as it passed out of the House Finance Committee on March 27. AWC is supportive of 2SSB 5433 as it left Committee but some provisions are controversial. House leaders are determining what is needed in and out of the bill to secure floor passage.
• Reducing the amount of petroleum pollution in storm water (SHB 1614)
  One hundred cities throughout the state have obligations under the Phase I or Phase II NPDES Municipal Stormwater permit. AWC continues to work to secure a dedicated funding source to finance implementation of these federal and state mandated permits that are required regardless of the state or local fiscal challenges. Please see the Infrastructure section of this Bulletin for more information.
• Nightclub license (SSB 5367)
  Cities support this bill which creates a new license for nightclubs and allows local governments to petition the Liquor Control Board (LCB) to impose additional requirements on nightclub licensees, which often require added law enforcement resources. It also increases the number of licenses that may be granted, but retains an overall cap on licenses including this new type of license.

AWC supports an amendment to the bill that is expected to be added that will clarify that local governments still have 60 days, until 30 days prior to the renewal of a license, to submit objections to liquor license renewals. The bill recently moved to the House floor calendar and may be acted upon at any time.

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