With fall right around the corner, AWC’s attention has shifted to City Legislative Priorities for the 2022 session. Cities are coming off a very successful 2021 session where the Legislature addressed many of our priority issues, including providing
$30 million in additional funding for cities:
- $10 million in additional cannabis revenue sharing; and
- $20 million in funds to cover public safety costs.
Like this time last year, questions are floating about how the Legislature will meet in 2022. Earlier this summer there was hope for returning to a full in-person session. However, like many cities, the Legislature is rethinking how it will conduct its
business. No decisions have been made yet, but it sounds like some level of virtual/remote participation will be likely again. We will keep you posted as we learn more about the Legislature’s plans. We have heard from many city officials that
they appreciated the opportunity to participate remotely in committee hearings and we have shared that feedback with legislators.
AWC 2022 City Legislative Priorities
AWC’s Legislative Priorities Committee met over the summer and recently wrapped up its work to recommend a set of 2022 legislative priorities for the AWC Board’s consideration. We are grateful for the time and commitment of the city officials who served on the committee. The Board
will consider the committee’s recommendations at its September 24 meeting and take final action to adopt 2022 priorities.
The Legislative Priorities Committee considered more than two dozen issues. It ultimately recommended three as 2022 priorities, along with a host of issues deemed significant (one step down from priority), and several others as endorse/support issues.
The prioritization process is always challenging, as there are many revolving legislative issues that are important to cities.
The three recommended priorities are as follows:
Transportation package
Support a new transportation revenue package that emphasizes maintenance/preservation funding and provides an equitable level of local funding while seeking additional long-term, sustainable revenue options
for cities.
Basic infrastructure funding
Seek enhanced appropriation of flexible state and federal dollars through programs like the Public Works Assistance Account that help cities finance basic infrastructure, like drinking water and wastewater.
Transportation Benefit Districts (TBD) funding authority
Support expanded local authority for TBDs to allow for continued use of the sales tax funding tool beyond the current time limitations.
The committee recommends the following issues as significant, along with several others:
- Blake decision – Advocate for direct funding for cities to administer diversion programs related to misdemeanor drug possession cases handled by city law enforcement and now adjudicated in municipal courts, as well
as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) services, therapeutic courts, and a diversion tracking database.
- Law enforcement use of force – Support clarification of the civil standards for use of force requirements so law enforcement can better understand the state requirements and know when they can use force to intervene in a situation,
including a mental health crisis where a crime is not being committed.
- Open Public Meetings Act – Support a permanent policy that allows greater flexibility for local governments to hold virtual meetings without a physical location during an emergency.
- Revenue options – Support efforts to review and revise both state and local tax structures so they rely less on regressive revenue options. Changes to the state tax structure should not negatively impact cities’ revenue
authority.
- Property tax – Revise the property tax cap to tie it to inflation and population growth factors so that local elected officials can adjust the local property tax rate to better serve their communities.
We will share the final list of priorities and significant issues, as adopted by the AWC Board of Directors, in the October edition of the Legislative Bulletin.
Your city’s 2022 legislative agenda
Fall is an opportune time to start developing your city’s own legislative agenda—one that includes policy positions that are important for your community. A legislative agenda acts as a strong communication tool for working with your legislators.
Read below for a few tips on how to develop a legislative agenda from the AWC strong cities advocacy guide.
Develop your city’s legislative agenda and share it
Tell your legislators what you want from them. Sharing your city’s legislative agenda is a simple and effective way to get your legislator’s attention. It’s best to adopt your legislative agenda in the fall and share it before session starts each January.
- Keep it short and simple – one page only.
- Include capital needs along with policy priorities.
- Incorporate AWC’s Legislative Priorities into your agenda.
- Make it public. Post it on your city’s website, put it in your newsletters, and insert it into utility bills.
- Work with your local media for coverage.
Federal focus
While we prepare for the 2022 session, a lot is happening in the other Washington as Congress resumes its work to address the federal budget and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The National League of Cities has outlined 10 priorities for federal budget negotiations in support of cities across the country. AWC encourages cities to contact your Congressional representatives and urge them to support cities’ priorities. And don’t forget to share with them how your
community is making use of federal ARPA funds.
2021-23 supplemental budget
The 2022 session will not involve developing a new biennial budget, but it will include a supplemental budget update to the adopted 2021-23 budgets. Often the supplemental budget process requires few, if any, significant changes; however, given
the potential for additional federal funds for infrastructure and COVID-19 recovery and the positive revenue forecasts, there may be additional opportunities to adjust spending. AWC recently submitted a letter to the Governor highlighting cities’ priorities for the supplemental budget process.