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Home My WebLink AboutResolution 14-041-CC� � , BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Grant County,Washington RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE RESOLUTION No. 14- Q� i -CC WASHINGTON STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES (WSAC) FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE WHEREAS, county governments across the State of Washington are facing a financial and service delivery crisis; and WHEItEAS,the cost of providing essential public services is outpacing the growth of revenue, leaving counties with few options other than cutting services to the public; and WHEREAS, under the Constitution and laws for the State of Washington , many state programs are administered and carried out by counties for residents of both incorporated and unincorporated areas including: administering and operating civil and criminal justice systems; running elections; assessing and collecting property taxes to support schools, cities, fire districts and other function in addition to county operations; developing plans including Growth Management and Shoreline Management plans, delivering public health services as well as programs for the mentally ill, developmentally disabled; and addressing the need for low-income housing; and V6'HEREAS, counties also provide a primary government services for residents of unincorporated areas including law enforcement, transportation (both roads and transit), land use and zoning, parlcs, animal control, storm water control; and WHEREAS, unlilce states and cities, counties are financed primarily by two sources of revenue: property taxes and sales and use taxes. However, property tax growth is capped at 1% plus the value of new construction, and sales tax collections have become increasingly challenging with the Growth Management Act allowing cities to annex large tax-paying business into their jurisdictions; and WHEREAS, in addition to revenue limitations, counties are challenged with a host of regulatory requirements that are increasingly complex and expensive, expanding liability costs, and increasing employment costs, regardless of a county's ability to pay; and i � �i � � I N:/Resolution-Ordinances/WSAC Fiscal Sustainability Initiative 2014.doc � I � WHEREAS, WSAC launched its Fiscal Sustainability Initiative in an effort to educate lawmakers about the services counties provide, advance new revenue generation and cost containment options to improve the fiscal health of county governments, and to advance legislation in support of those options. NO�V, THEREFOI2E,�E IT �-IEREBY RESOLVED THA'I'the Grant County Board of Commissioners, hereby express support for the Washington State Association of Counties Fiscal Sustainability Initiative, and a willingness to work�vith WSAC and other county of�cials across the state to advance the initiative. APP120VED Al\TD DATED this /�� day of�j�c�_, 2014. CJ BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONEI2S Yea Nay Abstain GRANT COUNTY,WASHINGTOTV � � � Carolann Swartz, Chair ATTEST: „/, � , -�..� _ w..�..__.._... �� Richard Stevens, Member " :�� , - Clerk of the Board / � �, ❑ ❑ Cindy er, Membe /,��'"v N:/Resolution-Ordinances/WSAC Fiscal Sustainability Initiative 2014.doc � • ; . _ '. . , . " . . , . " . . . , . � , ' ' � ' SNONOMISH COUNT'Y COUld�ll„. ' ' . - � � SNQW4MISH COIJNTY EX�CUTIV� .. ' .. ' • , Snohorriish Courtfy,WasFiington � ... J{JINT'•Ft�SbLUTldN N0.13-01$� , � . . .. ' . A JO)N71��S,OL:UTION$UI�pOFt�'ING T'H�WASHINC`�ON S`CAT�AS�OCIATI(�N ; ' : 0�COUN;`f1�5(WSAC)FISCA�.SIJS'�.AIN,4�31t;ITY'INITIA'�I'VE � . - �WH�E2EA5,`aourlty gqV�.rnments aoross the.Stat�'of°VUashir�gton are faofng a:firtancial and . serviGe�delivery crisis;and � � . ". ' � � WHEREA5,the cpst of praviding sssenti�l pub.lic servi��s is o�tpacing the,growth crf revenue, � • . . "leaving cnwnti�s with few.optians.ather'than c,utfing.service.s fid th��ublic;and ' - . ; : , /WH�R�iqS, under the :�ot�stitutiori and laws. Poc khe 5ta#e, .of Washing#on, many s#ate , , pra�'�ams,are adminis#�red �nd .carried 'nut by.criunti.es. .fnr resid�nts of bath incarporated anei . �nincarporated areas includinc�i�dminister)ng�and•operating ciYil and criminal jus#i�e sy�toms;.running , � slect,ipns;ass�ssfng and cdlleating property taxes.#o s.upport sahpal;s, clties, fire �istricts-and pther` •.. � furrctipns in �dditinn to Gqunty oper�ti�ns;�d�veiopirig �lans including Growth `Ntanagement and • Shnreiin� Management plans; d�livsring publlc h�alth sarvid�s �S.well as.prngrams for.�the men#ally , ill;deyelopm�ntally di�abled;�n'd addr4ssirig•th�ne�d far low-income ha.usirtg;a�d. „ � .� 1NHI��t��S, counti�s: �Iso provide a prjme.ry gavernment services� for residents af � uninaorporated�r�as iriciwdit�g law•enforcemen#,transportation'(both roads and tr�nsit), land use�nti ' zoning, parks,�r�imat control,sformwat�r contr.ol;and � � ' � � �.J'INH�R�AS, Unlik�3 stat�s and ci#ies, �qounfiES are financed primaril,y by twsi sources.�oF revenue: pr�perty taxes�nd�sai�s and use taxe5; Nbwever, praperfy tax growfh is oapped at 1°!o pitis • . ' ;- the v.alue of•ne+ti constructipn, and sales tax callectlans havo be.Cam�,incr�asingly`challetlging,with� ' ' the�drowth Mahage��nent AC# allo.wing., dities to ann'�x large .tax-p�ying .businesses into, their . � lurisdictibris�and � �. ' . � WH��2�AS, in additipn to r.evenue.li�iitations, �ounties �re chalieng�cl w'ifh a hast• df � � 1'2 regurtbty requiremen#s that are increasingly complex antl eXpensive, expanding Ifability edsts; and,� � , increasing em�l,nyment�costs,regardlees af a.courlty's ability�tp,pay;and ' ' . � WW�R�RS, WSAC laUrtclied its �iscal $ustainability f inlfiativ�,in an.�ffort fo educ�te . . )awmak�rs ak�aut•tho services caunties provlde, ��dVance n�w rev�nue. gen�ration. and aost � , � obn#ain'm�r�topti�i7s.to'imprav�the>fisc�l he�lth af Cou�ty gov�rnments,and tn advahce•legislakiorr in . . ' ��suppar��f ttiose ap�ian�. . ; , ' � ' N�VU �'N��C��Cli�l�, �� I�` I�I�SpL.V�I� �that the �nolior,rii.sk�'Caunfy �xoc.utive and the �ilohamish�our�ty Couti�il h�reby expres;�.'supp�irt�fpr�the Wasfiingtpn State A'ss�ci�tiori pf CaWri#it�s� , '. � �isaal SUst�in�bility ihitiailv�,and,a wlliingness•work with WS��an�bther..caunty offi�iats acrnss the St�tB'f0 At�V�11GA't11�Iflltlr�tlV�. , . ' . ' ' ' � ppPi�OS/.E�l this 2nd clay o�qatobet,2Q43, � , � . ' ' , � . . . , , . tepH arn Wriglit, .�' ' ' hn Laviok,. . ; ' . . �a U Chair ' '. County Exe,cutiv� . r '�W.° ,.--�.,.:.�....,w- . �.�t��!��, . ' . aue� am�rs, . ,��._,r,� , . S D�ve�oss�tf, � � ip�- alr' � � ' 'C ncif ember - � . ' II van, � � ' • �� ; . � . J�hn Kost�r,. Councllm�mb�r . Gaur�oilmam�ber . � , , ,ATT�ST: �._��., �.:�' , � _� .� � I�,�;:�.�. . . . � , . � Ka#hry J;. ratoher CI rk of fl7e C�ourioil � • � '. �I ��` . . � . . � � ._ ; , • . � ' .. . � .�I„ ' i � � � Washington State �� I �� Associa�ion of Goun�ies � � � �ui o� aoi4 �v v , ,.�.-- The Honorable Carolann Swartz, Chair, Grant County Board of Commissioners � �� PO Box 37 �� Ephrata, WA 98823-0037 � Dear Commissioner Swartz: Though the beginning of the 2015 Legislative Session is still over six months away, preparations are underway to make this as successful a session as possible. WSAC is preparing a legislative agenda focused on advancing the county Fiscal Sustainability Initiative. We know that many counties are also in the process of preparing their legislative agendas. Our influence with the Legislature is greatly enhanced when counties speak with a unified voice. Toward that end, we are asking all counties to include the county Fiscal Sustainability Initiative on their individual county legislative agenda, The manner in which you do so, and the specific language you use is not as irnportant as simply ensuring that your county's support for the WSAC legislative agenda is mentioned in your county agenda. If your county has not prepared a legislative agenda in the past, we would encourage you to do so even if the sole purpose is to indicate support for the Fiscal Sustainability Initiative. We are also asking individual counties to adopt a resolution endorsing the county Fiscal Sustainability Initiative. In 2013 eight counties adopted resolutions (Benton, Island, Kittitas,Snohomish, Spokane, Wahkial<um,Walla Walla, and Whatcom),and we are hoping the remaining counties will do the same this year. Enclosed with this letter is an example of one county's resolution. If you have any questions about the resolution or legislative agenda document, WSAC staff stand ready to assist you and can be contacted through Josh Weiss at(360)489-3015 or'w�iss wacaunties,org. As your WSAC Legislative '� Steering Committee Co-Chairs we are also happy to answer any questions you might have. Sincerely, ��w � C.�Z�i �/C��,.,�P.�.�' � � ��i � ' y � �� "�'Y � � t.,�y+' � � � Kathy Lambert Kevin Bouchey ��, ;�°� � Legislative Steering Committee Co-Chair Legislative Steering Committee Co-Chair �"� ��, � I<ing County Councilmember Yakima County Commissioner `Z�'r�� `��i o,��AA��,,� Washington Counties Building � 206 Tenth Ave SE � Olympia, Washington 98501-1211 � Phone: 360.753.1886 � Fax: 36 .753.2842 � www.w�cdur7ti�s.�r /wsa� �