Tacoma City Council Meeting - November 13, 2012

It was a full house this week – a lot of Tacomans turned out to share their thoughts on a wide range of issues.  Councilmember Walker was absent this week.

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Resolution No. 38570 Setting Tuesday, November 27, 2012, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council on the proposed Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Improvement Program for the years 2013-2018 and proposed amendments to the 2012 Program. [Kurtis Kingsolver, Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
None tonight.

PUBLIC COMMENT
If you were watching last night, we hope you had a comfortable seat.  This was the first of five separate opportunities for public comment.  This comment period was fairly brief, with two representatives of Tacoma nonprofit healthcare providers asking the Council to reconsider the proposed elimination of the tax exemption for their businesses.  Both speakers pointed to the positive impacts their organizations have in the community, citing their positive economic impact on the community as one of the growing sectors for employment and construction in recent years, free care they provide to vulnerable individuals, as well as free screenings, outreach, and other services.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38571 Awarding a contract to:

Westwater Construction Company, on its bid of $476,895.00, excluding sales tax, plus a 15 percent contingency, for a cumulative total of $548,429.25, budgeted from the Surface Water 2006 Bond Construction Fund, for the South Sprague Avenue Enhancement Project located on South Sprague Avenue between South 19th and South 23rd Streets – Specification No. PW12-0463F. [John O’Loughlin, Science and Engineering Division Manager; Michael P. Slevin III, P.E., Interim Director, Environmental Services]

In response to a question from Councilmember Fey, staff clarified that this is phase 1 of the project, and will focus primarily on median and arterial-facing improvements.  Phase 2, which is already funded and in the design process, will adress neighborhood-facing improvements.  Councilmember Boe mentioned that outreach the surrounding neighborhood will be an important part of the process, and asked about the 25% over-bid cost of the project.  Staff replied that the amount of interest in the project and the high visibility nature of the area as an entrance to the city led to the decision to go ahead at this time, even though the size of the project and the timing pushed costs up.  Funds from WSDOT, REET, and the Neighborhood Council will partially reimburse the work, with the balance picked up by the Surface Water budget.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28097 Amending Chapter 11.15 of the Municipal Code, relating to special events, transferring the coordination and permitting authority from the City Clerk’s Office to the Community and Economic Development Department; clarifying and expanding definitions, public notification, insurance requirements, and types of events that are subject to constitutional protections and allowing promotion and coordination of events prior to the issuance of a permit. [Kala Dralle, Economic Development Specialist; Ricardo Noguera, Director, Community and Economic Development]

The ordinance passed without comment.

Ordinance No. 28098  Amending Chapter 12.13 of the Municipal Code, relating to Click! Network cable TV products, to increase rates for cable television products and related services, effective January 1, 2013. [Tenzin Gyaltsen, Click! General Manager; Ted Coates, Superintendent, Tacoma Power]

Deputy Mayor Lonergan added that this is Click! doing what we wanted it to do when it was created – keeping cable rates down in Tacoma.  Whether you get your cable from them or their competitor, your rates are lower than those of cable customers in surrounding areas.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28099 Establishing a Transportation Benefit District within the City of Tacoma specifying the maintenance and preservation of existing transportation improvements; providing for additional transportation improvements; creating a new Chapter 10.28 in the Municipal Code entitled “Transportation Benefit District”; and declaring an emergency making necessary the passage of this ordinance and its taking effect immediately upon publication. [Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

A survey of Tacoma residents last spring found that taking care of our roads is a priority for many.  Staff pointed out that there are few options for funding roads projects, but a TBD is one of the tools available to the City.  Once established, the board will develop a plan identifying where money raised by fees will be spent.  The outline of the proposed district would be the city limits of Tacoma.

PUBLIC HEARINGS AND APPEALS

• This is the date set for a public hearing by the City Council on the proposed Ad Valorem tax levies for General Property taxes and other General Fund revenues. [Steve Call, Interim Director, Finance]

There was no public comment on this item.

• This is the date set for a public hearing by the City Council on the 2013-2014 Biennial Budget and the 2013-2018 Capital Facilities Program. [Steve Call, Interim Director, Finance]

This item got the most public comment this week.  The final 2013-2014 budget for the City of Tacoma is in at $2.77 billion overall, $396.4 million of that is the general fund budget, which has been getting the most attention.  For those concerned about fire service, Mayor Strickland clarified that only one station would be closed (in the Port), while service at two others (Proctor and East Tacoma) would be reduced.  City Manager Broadnax presented an overview of the budget, and the Capital Facilities Program, which identifies the capital projects the City prioritizes for the next six years.  Capital facilities project funds cannot be spent on operating expenses.  Projects selected for inclusion in the CFP are chosen based on assessment of need, availability of funding, community outreach and input, and their consistency and connection with Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan.  18 new projects have been added to this CFP, and 67 have been removed from the last list.

Nearly 30 commenters spoke, many asking for reconsideration of the cuts to the fire department.  We heard concerns over increased response times from quite a few residents of the Proctor District, and from an Eastside resident.  We also heard concerns over the closure of the Port fire station, and related move of the associated fireboat out of the area, from many who were concerned over the worker safety and water safety.  One commenter suggested that the public would be willing to pay more in taxes if the increase was designated specifically for the fire department.  Several commenters spoke in support of the removal of the B&O exemption for nonprofit healthcare providers.  Other topics that came up included a reconsideration of cuts to streets project funding, cuts to staff levels of other City departments, and an unusual note of thanks for preserving funding for human services program funding.  Mayor Strickland reminded the audience that we can’t just not cut anything, and that in terms of jobs to be saved, labor partners can make concessions to save jobs – $100,000 will save one position.  Broadnax closed the comment session with a clarification that the trucks that will be left at the Proctor and Eastside stations will continue to have all the medical equipment they would need for medical emergencies, they just wouldn’t be able to pump water to put out fires. 

• This is the date set for a second public hearing by the City Council on the proposed establishment of a Transportation Benefit District specifying the maintenance and preservation of existing transportation improvements; providing for additional transportation improvements; creating a new Chapter 10.28 in the Municipal Code entitled “Transportation Benefit District.” [Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

We heard from five commenters in favor of the formation of the TBD and levying of a $20 car tab fee.  Several commenters further requested that 20% of the money raised by the TBD be designated for bicycle and pedestrian projects.  We also heard requests that money be invested in public transportation options, and that language be included to incorporate green transportation priorities, and transparency in what projects would be funded by the funds raised.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None.

CITIZENS’ FORUM
Citizens’ Forum this week could also be called Citizens United Forum, as the bulk of comments were requests from members of Occupy Tacoma and others for the Council to pass a resolution in support of the repeal of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.  More than a dozen speakers came forward, and we heard a variety of angles on the issue – everything from the founding and history of Washington State, to arguments that lack of regulation on corporations caused the economic downturn, which in turn hurt Tacoma’s economy.  We’ll have to wait and see if the arguments for the Citizens United ruling as a City issue were effective.

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER
No report this week.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
No comments.

ADJOURNMENT

So, that’s that; just shy of three hours.  It was long, but nowhere near as long as it could have been…