Legislative

Agenda 2009-2010

FINANCING TOOLS

• Seek exemptions from any proposed changes to existing legislation that could adversely affect district revenues either directly or indirectly.  Where feasible, seek alternative legislation that would allow for replacement of lost tax revenues.
• Where feasible, seek alternative legislation that would allow for replacement of revenues used to sustain City parks transitioning to Metro Parks Tacoma.
• Support the findings and recommendations of the Legislative Task Force on Local Parks and Recreation Operations and Maintenance, the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), the Washington Recreation and Park Association (WRPA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
• Work cooperatively with other local governments in promoting and achieving a strategy that facilitates the needs and desires of other local agencies while at the same time permitting Metro Parks Tacoma to continue to operate in the same manner as authorized by citizens when they formed Metro Parks in 1907. 

• Seek elimination of supermajority for excess levies.  Join in a process to secure an amendment to State Constitution for all municipal corporations to replace the super majority requirement with a simple majority required for approval.  A vote of the people would be required for the constitutional change.
• Support legislation allowing metro park districts, that are the primary parks and recreation service provider for a city with a population greater than 100,000, the authority to impose a ¼ of one percent Real Estate Excise Tax (REET).
• Support the AWC effort to harmonize the first and second Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) in a bill that fixes both.  REET would be available for maintenance of properties acquired through REET.
• Support the continued need to regain the historic $100 million for WWRP projects
• Support creation of an appointed seat on the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (RCO) for a WRPA representative.
• Eliminate: ESSB 5967 Passed:  Support WRPA's gender equity position that proposes legislation that requires entities to include anti-discrimination statements in their facility use policies.  WRPA proposes maintaining the Human Rights Commission as the state agency to receive and investigate complaints of discrimination. Oppose unfunded reporting requirements.
• SUPPORT THE SALES TAX PROPOSAL FOR TRAILS, OPEN SPACE AND PARK'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
  Support granting of legislative authority to increase the sales tax for parks to one tenth of 1% to build and maintain a countywide system of trails, which connect all of the communities in Pierce County proposed by Forever Green.
• Position Metro Parks Tacoma to receive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for infrastructure projects. 
• Explore the following revenue areas for future feasibility:
  o License Fee/Motor Vehicle Renewal
  o Dedicated Lottery
  o Fee on Boat Trailer Registrations
  o Watercraft excise tax
  o Sporting Goods Tax
  o Local Conservation Tax

• Position Metro Parks Tacoma to receive Federal Economic Stimulus (ARRA) funding for infrastructure projects. 

• SEEK A MID- BIENNIAL REDUCTION ADJUSTMENT TO TACOMA PUBLIC UTILITY WATER RATES
• Work with the City of Tacoma to explore options, such as a new category for municipalities, to reduce the costs associated with water rates, resulting in a mid-biennial rate adjustment.
• WORK WITH THE CITY OF TACOMA TO ELIMINATE STORM WATER FEES
   Metro Parks Tacoma mitigates and retains storm water for the City of Tacoma therefore should not be required to pay fees for the service. 
• Support the efforts of local government in seeking enhanced local funding opportunities for operation and maintenance costs of local parks and recreation programs. 

CAPITAL FUNDING REQUESTS

• Seek state capital funding for park facility repairs and restoration, and construct new park facilities.
• South Tacoma Community Center:  In cooperation with the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Tacoma Public School District a South Tacoma Community Center will be built.  The proposed site is on publicly owned property in South Tacoma at the site of the old Mt. Tahoma High School. 
  State Request $2,800,000    
  Federal Request $1,500,000    
  Local Request  $1,000,000
• Continue to seek funding for Wapato Lake restoration activities.  Seek to identify resources that enhance water quality of the lake and watershed.

Other ongoing partnership capital projects:

• Tacoma Nature Center Children's Exploration Center
  The Tacoma Nature Center serves a regional audience with over 65,000 visitors each year primarily from Pierce, South King, and North Thurston counties. This playground project was the highest priority of the 2008 master plan update for the 70- acre Tacoma Nature Center property. A steering committee of local residents, city staff and local environmental organizations have met for the past year to plan for the expansion of recreation, nature programming, wetland development work, expanded nature trails and lake management. The Children's Nature Exploration Area will serve children ages 2 – 12.  It will provide a wide variety of play elements, all designed to mimic the natural environment.   Elements will include a water feature/stream, Tree House, Boulder Scramble, Drumlin Slide, Snag Climb, Bridges and The project is for the creation of a unique nature-themed playground at the Tacoma Nature Log Crossing. 
  State Request (Department of Commerce) $100,000
• SUPPORT CITY OF TACOMA FUNDING REQUESTS FOR MURRAY MORGAN BRIDGE AND CHENEY STADIUM
  Metro Parks Tacoma supports the City of Tacoma's efforts to seek appropriations or revenue streams to replace Murray Morgan Bridge and to complete renovation of Cheney Stadium.

• URBAN PARK and RECREATION RECOVERY ACT (UPARR)
  Call on Congress to restore funding for UPARR and appropriate $30 million for UPARR in 2009.

SUPPORT JOINT MUNICIPAL ACTION COMMITTEE (JMAC) CAPITAL AND LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

• Support funding for programs such as the successful wood stove buyback initiative that helps to reduce fine particulate matter which will help the region to meet new air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. 
• Support state and federal legislation that implements appropriate, high-quality health care that is accessible and available to all as was requested by citizens of Tacoma through an advisory ballot on November 6, 2007. 
• Support additional State funding of local public health services.  In Pierce County, programs that promote active living and healthy eating are of particular emphasis as obesity has become a rising epidemic afflicting two-thirds of Pierce County residents. 
• Support full funding of public school programs

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES FOR ALL/ ANTI-OBESITY FUNDING
Seek funding for increased public access to recreation opportunities that will reduce the effects of physical inactivity, including people with disabilities or wounded warriors.  Ensure that park and recreation agencies are eligible entities in anti-obesity and specialized recreation legislation.  A physically active lifestyle through recreation is a viable strategy for disease prevention, social connection outside the home and health promotion.  Public parks and recreation facilities offer low-cost opportunities to citizens of every age, ability and income level and thus contribute to improving health.

• Support Healthy Eating and Active Living.
• Support Buy Local Initiatives
• Urban Revitalization and Livable Communities Act, HR 3734
  Support was solicited through an action alert for the Urban Revitalization and Livable Communities Act, HR 3734 that would authorize $445 million to be appropriated annually for FY 2011–FY 2021. Funding would be provided through matching federal assistance grants and could be used by parks and recreation agencies to rehabilitate existing, and develop new, urban parks and community recreational infrastructure as well as for the continued investment in programs that improve public health, increase daily physical activity, reconnect children with nature, reduce crime, provide safe healthy alternatives for at-risk youth, encourage environmental stewardship, and foster local economic development.

• ENCOURAGE STATE SUPPORT FOR THERAPEUTIC RECREATION OPTIONS
• SECURE STATE SUPPORT FOR AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

• PLAY EVERY DAY ACT
  In partnership with a coalition of national organizations, support adoption of the PLAY Every Day Act of 2007.  This is intended to promote the national recommendation for physical activity for kids, families and communities.
• IMPROVED NUTRITION and PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ACT of 2007 (IMPACT)
  Support passage of the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act of 2007.  This legislation would establish funding for grants to local government to provide health services for improved nutrition, increased physical activity and obesity prevention.
• HEALTHY LIFESTYLE and PREVENTION AMERICA ACT (HeLP)
  The HeLP Act seeks to improve the health of Americans and reduce health care costs by reorienting the nation's health care system towards prevention, wellness, and self-care.
• NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE ACT (NCLI)
  This act provides incentives for the development and enhancement of environmental education programs focused on getting children outdoors and learning about nature.  Seek funds for Metro Parks Tacoma to develop outdoors environmental education programs.
• PARALYMPIC INTEGRATED ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAM
  Appropriate $10 million in FY 2010 to the United States Paralympic Integrated Adaptive Sports Program and appropriate $5 million in the FY 10 to the USOC Paralympic Military Program.

• Seek funding to create and implement healthy communities initiatives.

PROMOTE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

• Secure technical support for local governments who are interested and willing to incorporate biodiversity planning into local land use planning.
• Identify funding for Open Space /Habitat Restoration

SUPPORT FUNDING FOR THE ACTIONS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE PUGET SOUND

• The Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda recommends starting with expenditures to restore Puget Sound at a modest scale and testing solutions carefully before ramping them up. The Partnership is proposing an incremental enhancement of $200 million to $300 million for the 2009-11 biennium.

SPORTS FISHING/BOAT LAUNCHES

• Seek to protect fishing and related activities to the maximum extent possible in accordance with the Endangered Species Act.  Maintenance of some level of sport of fishing on lower Puget Sound is directly tied to the economic viability of the Boathouse Marina and related facilities

SUPPORT CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.

SUPPORT CLOSE-TO-HOME ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION RESOURCES FOR ALL

SUPPORT NATIONAL POLICIES THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, LIVABLE COMMUNITIES, PHYSICAL

SUPPORT CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
Support Senate Bill 575 (S. 575, the Clean Low-Emissions Affordable New Transportation Equity Act "CLEAN-TEA") which would fund clean transportation choices (walking, biking and transit) to reduce driving, while saving Americans money in the process.

PROMOTE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

• Support strategies identified by the City of Tacoma's Green Ribbon Task Force, dedicated to fostering a sustainable local economy.
• Identify funding for Open Space/Habitat Restoration

• Support continued funding for the Capital Projects Fund for Washington's Heritage
• Support the Heritage Caucus 2010 legislative priorities

• Support the reauthorization of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. IMLS is the primary federal agency responsible for supporting the nation's 17,500+ museums. IMLS administers the Save America's Treasures program.
• Support $50 million request for Institute of Museum Services funding in the FY10 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill
• Support the Artist-Museum Partnership Act (Senate 405, House 1126). This bipartisan bill would allow an artist to donate his or her work and be eligible for a tax donation equal to the fair market value of the donated work.

• Support in the City of Tacoma's update to their comprehensive plan, including the city's Preservation Plan and Policies. The Preservation will set forth policies and a course of action for treatment of cultural resources within the community. The general scope of this project includes study of a demolition permit review process, code enforcement procedures for City Landmarks, a citywide archaeological survey including revisions to current archaeological permit review procedures and other issues.
• Support the use of RCW 36.22.170 (1) (a) funds – a $1 Recording Surcharge for Historic Preservation to offer grant programs to Pierce County heritage organizations. Fort Nisqually received a grant for conservation work on a valuable artifact in the first round of funding but there is concern in the local heritage community that this money will no longer be distributed county wide.
• Support the Pierce County Historic Property Survey Project and the Pierce County Historical Document Survey Project. Metro Parks assets and resources should be included in both projects.
  

Last Updated: Nov 24, 2009 3:30 PM