Tacoma City Business Preview - Week of October 22, 2012

Budget
On the agenda for this week’s City Council study session is another budget work session. This one will focus on the Public Works Department; the capital facilities plan and capital projects budget; and Neighborhood and Community Services, including delegate agency funding as it relates to the upcoming biennial budget.

Also this week are two community budget input sessions.

 
• Monday, October 22, 6-8pm, Gray Middle School, 6229 S. Tyler St. Commons

 
• Wednesday, October 24, 6-8pm, Wheelock Library, 3722 N. 26th

Lobbying
A pair of resolutions on this week’s agenda would authorize the City to retain lobbying services to represent the Tacoma’s interests both in Olympia and Washington D.C. A third resolution amends the City’s Legislative Policy Manual, which expresses views on issues that may come before the Washington Legislature and United States Congress. The activities of the lobbyists will be guided by this policy manual.

Tacoma Rail
On the agenda for a first reading this week is an ordinance that would add $6.2 million to the Department of Public Utilities, Rail Division, effective immediately, for Tacoma Rail to meet anticipated operating requirements for the rest of the year.

This year two shipping lines left the Port of Seattle for the Port of Tacoma, contributing to a 29% increase in “intermodal rail traffic” for Tacoma Rail. Due to these higher than expected freight rail volumes, along with other business opportunities, Tacoma Rail expects to exceed its current budget before the end of the year. This sounds like one of those “takes money to make money” conversations, but at least it also sounds like we can expect to see the money paid back. According to Jim Sant, Deputy Director for Administration at TPU, as quoted in the Daily Index, “The additional anticipated expenditures are expected to be compensated for with additional revenues related to increased rail activities.”

Taxes
A resolution on this week’s agenda sets Tuesday, November 13 as the date for a public hearing to set the proposed Ad Valorem tax levies for General Property taxes and the other General Fund revenues.

The City is required to hold a public hearing on revenue sources for its following year’s current expense budget. That hearing must include consideration of possible increases in property tax revenues, and must be held before the tax is increased.

Fun fact of the day: Ad valorem is Latin for “according to value.”

Purchase Resolution
Three items on this week’s purchase resolution, all pretty much what they sound like:

 
1. $295,903, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Fleet Equipment Rental Capital Outlay Fund, for a cumulative total of $1,134,184, to increase the contract to purchase two additional Type III Ambulance Medic emergency transport vehicles;

 
2. $295,333, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for painting the Wastewater Digester #5 Cover at the Central Treatment Plant; and

 
3. $79,828, budgeted from the Streets Special Revenue Fund, for a cumulative total of $250,000, to increase the contract for flagging and inspection services provided by BNSF on the Murray Morgan Bridge Rehabilitation Project