Loading...
2017 - COFW Legislative Agenda CITY OF Federal Way M =1 =7 ­ ­,a2w :0 , Iffim"N ' State ....................... Le Jislative Priorities �. 0 0 Public safety is the number one priority of the City of Federal City Center Access Project(1-5 Interchange at S 320th Street): Way. The City urges the Legislature to provide adequate Scope: and sustainable funding to maintain high-quality statewide training for law enforcement personnel. In addition to this Complete environmental documentation and Interchange Justification Report(IJR)for the City Center Access request, Federal Way seeks a capital budget funding in the sum of $250,000 to add new and replace outdated or Project. The proposed project will incorporate one of two obsolete Safe City cameras. alternatives for modifying current access at the interchange POLICE of 1-5 with South 320th Street in Federal Way. Purpose and Need: The environmental documentation and IJR are the first step in improving traffic flow conditions resulting from the failing safety and level of service(LOS) at the S 320th/1-5 Interchange. This will combine local city street intersection Federal Way is seeking funding to combat the dire improvements with new arterials to improve poor traffic conditions of persons without shelter. These monies flow conditions resulting from the failing safety and level of would address homeless services, such as the Federal Way service (LOS) at the South 320th Street/1-5 interchange. Homeless Services Encampment Initiative–a four-tiered approach which focuses on: Schedule: • Coordination of service providers from the city and region,- Complete IJR: 2018.Start Right-of-Way Acquisition: 2019. Budget/Funding: $1.5 Million • Providing care, compassion, and referral of available Earmark Request: $1.0 Million services to those in need,- The City of Federal Way supports fully funding the Public • Initiating the cleanup of encampments to address Works Trust Fund in order to keep up with the growing environmental concerns and damage to public and demand for infrastructure improvements and to support job private property; and creation, economic vitality, and enhance quality of life. • Work with referral services to assist those afflicted with drug addiction. The City of Federal Way is also seeking capital funds to help secure a center for homeless youth to be run in coordination • A with Auburn Youth Resources or similar community resources. The City of Federal Way is seeking $1 million in capital funds for a kitchen upgrade to the Performing Arts & Event Center. This upgrade will be utilized by the Native American Culinary Institute in partnership with the Muckleshoot • • • Indian Tribe. The new Performing Arts & Event Center will be a year-round conference &event center Federal Way supports updating the Public Recordswith a 716-seat theater hosting world-class Act so cities can continue to provide open talent, as well as art education and culinary and transparent government services to —_- education programs. Washington residents. �u,. P Y OF ederal Way State � ....................... Legislative Priorities The City of Federal Way recently completed Protect our communities by investing _ a higher education needs assessment. in core public health services. The 40% This assessment shows a clear need for increased higher per capita decrease in public health educational opportunities in our community. Federal funding since 1999 is reaching crisis levels Way has been in communication with the University of across the state. The funding shortfall Washington-Tacoma and Washington State University to has left Public Health—Seattle& King County unable to determine their interest in a downtown Federal Way site fully investigate disease outbreaks. The Washington State location. Federal Way asks the Legislature to support this Department of Health is requesting $54 million for local endeavor and provide the necessary assistance to allow this public health jurisdictions to fill critical gaps in disease exciting venture to come to fruition. prevention and response, and to pilot shared services to improve the efficiency of the overall system. Federal Way strongly urges the Legislature to fund basic • • • . public health in Washington State. Property tax is the largest revenue source for Washington's • �� INEEMEN cities, supporting critical services such as justice, health, and safety. Property taxes are capped at a level that creates an L The City of Federal Way, in ever-widening gap between the cost of providing public partnership with Federal Way Public Schools, encourages the services to a growing population and the revenue available State Legislature to: to pay for them. A new property tax limit should correspond to what it actually costs local governments to continue • Continue to work toward meeting the constitutional providing services, and keep up with increased public requirements as outlined in the McCleary ruling,- demand. uling;demand. • Fully fund the cost of basic education and specifically, this The City of Federal Way urges the Legislature to give local means compensation costs so that Federal Way Public governments the option to replace the arbitrary annual Schools can continue to attract the best and the brightest,- 1 rightest;1% cap on property tax revenues with a growth • Create a fair state tax structure to lessen property tax- limit whose maximum is based public education inequities. Federal Way taxpayers inflation plus the rate of 1661616 pay more to raise $1000 than most taxpayers in King population growth. County due to significant variations in assessed valuation; and • Local levies and local effort assistance(LEA) are headed off a funding cliff. Address the Levy Cliff. If this is not addressed, FWPS will have to lay off a significant number The Legislature should maintain funding for the Municipal of staff(equivalent to the number of staff it takes to run 8 Research and Services Center(MRSC)to provide vital elementary schools). support for local government performance. In order to ensure Federal Way's more than 22,000 scholars are able to learn and thrive in the competitive environment of the 21st century, the city of Federal Way strongly urges the legislature to take these requests into serious consideration.