Government Affairs Committee

November 24, 2014Meeting Notes

Project: / APWA Government Affairs / Prepared by: / Scott Sawyer
Meeting Date: / December 18, 2014 / Meeting Time: / 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Attendees: / Attendee’s Affiliation:
Mike Shaw / Contract lobbyist
Jim Rioux / City of Olympia
Scott Sawyer / SCJ Alliance
Scott Egger / City of Lacey
Chuck Hinson / URS
Dick Warren / Retired
Henry Haselton (by phone) / Aspect Consulting
Alison Hellberg / Association of Washington Cities
Theresa Parsons / Thurston County

Alison Hellberg

  • There was a recent presentation to State Senate that makes it look like funding has increased despite the sweeps from the Public Works Trust Fund in recent years. The reality is a technical change in the loan model for stormwater money makes the funding picture appear better. It might have come across to Senators as if there isn’t funding problem for local agencies.
  • There is a group of Senators being targeted by AWC to lobby against another $200m sweep from the PWTF (funds available from loan repayments and a small amount of REIT money).

Mike Shaw

  • Governor’s Transportation Package – only 2 legislators attended the announcement. Likely because his office didn’t provide any details prior to the announcement.
  • The Package is proposed to be funding by a Carbon (Pollution) tax on 130 industrial users.
  • The Governor also announced his Washington Carbon Pollution Reduction and Clean Energy Leadership Act.
  • The Carbon tax would generate about $1 billion per year.
  • $400M for Transportation
  • $400M for Education
  • $200M for Disadvantaged Business
  • The environmental community has not reacted well to the Transportation package. They don’t like the combination of trying to reduce vehicle emissions with a carbon tax while funding transportation improvements like SR 509 and SR 167.
  • Senator Fain and Senator Dammeier have indicated that progress is likely on a transportation package, but it won’t be the Governor’s package.
  • Polling – the following are public reactions to polling on types of taxes:
  • License Tab (flat fee) – very poor
  • MUET polls – ok
  • Vehicle miles – ok
  • Tolls- ok
  • Property tax – ok
  • Gas tax – ok
  • Sales tax – poor
  • Reforms sought by Republicans - more review showed that prevailing wage reform would not make a big fiscal impact given the minor differences between State and Federal rules. The focus has shifted to reforms on reporting to make the data more accurate.
  • Local options taxes for transportation – AWC is working a local options bill. The following are possibilities. Details are still taking shape. The sales tax is unpopular because legislators are worried about stacking of sales tax, especiallyin the Puget Sound area.
  • $20 to $50 license fee
  • Street utility taxing authority
  • Make the sales tax option for TBD’s councilmatic instead of public vote
  • There is a sense a transportation package must include all of the pieces – State funding, Sound Transit 3, local options, etc.
  • Sound Transit 3 Polling by Sound Transit

Highest Public Concerns

  1. Transportation & Transit
  2. Traffic
  3. Economy

The cost of gas is currently low. The concern with congestion/traffic is high. Therefore, the timing is good for a package. Education needs to sort out first. Likely timing for a transportation bill is about June.

  • The state budget is about $5B short:
  • $2B – McCleary
  • $2B – Class size reduction
  • $1B – COLA, pensions, and mental health

It is likely the class size reduction initiative will be suspended. Other cuts and sweeps may bring in about $1B. That leaves a need for $2B in new revenue.

  • The legislature may allow the pilot project sought by the WUTC for vehicle miles traveled taxing.

Henry Haselton – ASCE Report Card

  • Henry is on the Legislative Committee for the Seattle Chapter of ASCE. Larry Cositch is the committee chair. The committee coordinates with:
  • ASCE National
  • AELC
  • The National report card is produced every four years and individual states do optional state-wide report cards.

Jim Rioux

  • Flood Plains by Design – this is $50M per year program through Ecology. The current law isn’t clear whether it was one-time funding for the 2013-2015 biennium or funding for each biennium.
  • Session starts January 12th. We will start weekly conference calls the second week on Thursdays at 12:15 PM (Jan 22nd). Chuck Hinson will provide the conference call number.
  • Jim may start rotating the meeting location (usually held at URS in Seattle). We might meet in Tacoma to split the distance for Olympia and Seattle.
  • John Carpita and Mike Purdy are working on an on-call bill to ease contracting laws for maintenance activities. MRSC, CPARB, Port of Seattle and PUD Association are advocates. There is a summit meeting coming up in January. There is also a parallel bill for adding water infrastructure maintenance to existing law.
  • We will pay attention to possible stormwater regulation changes related to fish consumption by Tribes.
  • Possible testimony topics this session:
  • Climate (fish consumption by Tribes)
  • Transportation
  • Capital Budget
  • Land use planning

ACTION

Mike Shaw to prepare a list of details/speaking points for testimony.

Jim Rioux to reach out for testimony volunteers or letter writing.

SCJ to find someone to attend CPARB meetings.