AWC Legislative Bulletin - Volume 30, No. 8
February 23, 2007  (Plain Text Version)

Return to Graphical Version | Search back issues

In this issue:
What You Need to Know Now
From the Director: Legislature Approaches First Cutoff
Energy & Telecommunications
Environment & Water
General Local Government
Infrastructure, Transportation & Economic Development
Land Use & Housing
Law & Justice
Municipal Finance
Personnel & Labor Relations
Online Legislative Advocacy Tools
AWC Legislative Contacts & Officers

Infrastructure, Transportation & Economic Development

AWC Priority
Transportation Benefit Districts (TBDs) (HB 1858/SB 5767)

Both the House and Senate versions of this bill will be up for executive session next week. If you have legislators on either the House or Senate Transportation Committee, please contact them and request they support these bills.

As introduced, these bills would:

  • Allow councilmanic authority to impose the first $20 of the maximum $100 vehicle license fee if a TBD is jurisdiction-wide.
  • Allow councilmanic impact fees if a TBD is jurisdiction-wide. Provisions prohibiting a district (city) from imposing the same fee are included (a no double dipping requirement).

AWC would like to thank panelists Noel Miller, Public Works Director of Edmonds, Tim LaPorte, Public Works Director for Kent, and Mark Brown from the City of Vancouver for speaking in support of this bill.

AWC Priority
Changing Alternative Public Works Provisions (SHB 1506)

This is the renewal and modification of the current General Contractor-Construction Manager (GC-CM) and Design Build (DB) public works authority. The bill was heard in the House Capital Budget Committee this week. Please see the February 2 edition of the Bulletin for a detailed description on the substitute bill.

AWC Priority
Funding for Jobs, Economic Development, and Local Capital Projects (SHB 1790/SSB 5762)

SHB 1790 passed out of the House Community & Economic Development & Trade Committee on February 21 and SSB 5762 was scheduled to pass out of its respective committee as well.

Effective, July 1, 2009, these substitute bills will accomplish the following:

  • Eliminate the 2009-2011 $50 million Public Works Trust Fund diversion to the Job Development Fund;
  • Provide ongoing funding for the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) at $50 million/biennium;
  • Replace the current laundry list of private investment (industries) eligible for CERB assistance with recommendations by the State Economic Development Commission;
  • Add as part of the CERB prioritization process that jobs must pay at least the average countywide hourly wage or offer health insurance to employees and identify if investments accomplish projected population and employment growth or other GMA requirements;
  • Eliminate the Job Development Fund program; and
  • Harmonizes the 1st and 2nd quarter REET (House bill only).

The funding source is 3.3% of the state Real Estate Excise Tax (REET), beginning July 1, 2009. You can expect action alerts or requests to contact your legislators to support these bills once they are scheduled in their respective fiscal committees.

AWC Priority
Local Infrastructure Finance Tool (LIFT) (SHB 1277/SSB 5115)

These bills would:

  • Increase the limit of the annual state contribution to LIFT projects in the state from $5 million per year to $10 million per year. This will allow an additional round of applications for $2.5 million in the competitive LIFT project awards in calendar years 2008 and 2009.
  • Repeal the one per county prohibition on using this authority;
  • Eliminate an assessed value per square foot requirement; and
  • Provide several technical changes that will make the authority more flexible.

SHB 1277 will be heard in House Finance Committee on Tuesday, February 27 at 10 am. SSB 5115 was referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

City Hardship Assistance Program Funds for Street Maintenance (SHB 1482/SSB 5483)

The substitute Senate bill passed out of committee this week and is now a companion bill to the substitute House bill. These bills will move any remaining City Hardship Assistance Program funding to the Small City Pavement Preservation and Sidewalk Account. The bills are in the Rules Committees in their respective chambers.

Dedicating Existing Revenue to Infrastructure Funding (SHB 1361)

SHB 1361 passed out of the House Local Government Committee in substantially different substitute form. Due to bill title requirements, the bill has been reintroduced as HB 2331 and has been referred to the House Transportation Committee. This new bill would direct $20 million to the Transportation Improvement Board. The bill contains funding eligibility criteria that we are continuing to refine.