OLYMPIA, WA – The Association of Washington Cities (AWC), an Olympia-based organization advocating on behalf of Washington’s 281 cities and towns, announced the recipients of its fourth annual City Champion Award. The award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of legislators who championed critical city issues during the 2017 legislative session.

Eight legislators won the award this year for their efforts to support city issues including a broader based internet sales tax, improved local business licensing, small cell deployment, public records reform, and affordable housing.

“We are thankful and appreciative of our City Champion Award winners this year,” said Pat Johnson, President of AWC and Mayor of Buckley. “These legislators worked diligently alongside cities to represent the collective interests of the many residents in our 281 cities and towns.”

“The 2017 legislative session was the longest in state history. Cities were concerned that historical state-shared revenues were at risk as legislators worked down to the wire to pass an operating budget,” stated Peter B. King, AWC CEO. “Ultimately, we were pleased that the budget left much of the shared revenues intact. Cities continue to rely on these funds to support safe communities and strong infrastructure.”

“We now look forward to the legislature working together to pass a capital budget,” said Dave Williams, AWC Government Relations Director. “Cities are counting on capital funds to keep cities moving forward as they plan for growth and improve our infrastructure.”

AWC’s City Champion Awards will be presented to recipients throughout the fall. 2017 recipients are listed below.

City Champions

Rep. Kristine Lytton (D-Anacortes) is recognized for her leadership in pursuing and enacting broad-based internet sales tax legislation, a long-standing priority for cities and business interests across the state, and for her efforts to simplify the business licensing process.

Rep. Joan McBride (D-Kirkland) and Rep. Terry Nealey (R-Dayton) are recognized for the second year running for their outstanding leadership and guidance working with stakeholders to pass legislation that modernized the Public Records Act.

Rep. Nicole Macri (D-Seattle) and Rep. Andrew Barkis (R-Olympia) are recognized for their advocacy for and efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing in a variety of situations and communities.

Sen. Sharon Brown (R-Kennewick) is recognized for her advocacy and leadership to help pass legislation that streamlines the administration of local business licensing while ensuring cities maintain local control, and for her support for local economic development tools.

Sen. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) and Sen. Tim Sheldon (D-Potlatch) are recognized for their leadership in advocating for the expansion of broadband to our state’s rural communities, and advocating for local control and responsible use of the public right-of-way when siting and regulating telecommunication facilities.

The Association of Washington Cities serves its members through advocacy, education and services. Founded in 1933, AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington's cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies. Membership is voluntary. However, AWC consistently maintains 100 percent participation from Washington’s 281 cities and towns. AWC also provides training, data and publications, and programs such as the AWC Employee Benefit Trust, AWC Risk Management Service Agency, AWC Workers’ Comp Retro, AWC Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and AWC GIS Consortium.

###

Media contact:
Emma Shepard
Communications Coordinator
emmas@awcnet.org
(360) 753-4137