Drafter
Clerk 02/19/2014
Title
A MOTION expressing King County's transportation system needs, including support for the submittal by the King County transportation district of a ballot measure for local transportation funding and recommending elements to be included in the measure.
Body
WHEREAS, the King County council unanimously adopted Motion 13987 expressing support for a special session of the Washington state Legislature to address statewide, regional and local transportation needs, and
WHEREAS, the Washington state Legislature did meet in special session in November 2013, but did not address statewide, regional or local transportation needs, and
WHEREAS, the county's transit and unincorporated area roads funding continues to be insufficient to meet current adopted requirements as stated in Motion 13987, and
WHEREAS, cities in King County have over $1.3 billion in maintenance and preservation needs alone over the next six years and have identified a need of over $3 billion for mobility projects over the next six years, and
WHEREAS, the adopted Strategic Plan for Road Services identifies the goals, priorities and funding needs for King County's unincorporated area roadway facilities, which as of January 2013 identifies an annual funding shortfall of up to one hundred thirty million dollars to maximize the life of the existing road system, and
WHEREAS, the adopted Strategic Plan for Public Transportation and the King County Metro Service Guidelines identify the goals, priorities and funding needs for the King County Metro transit system, which as of November 2013 identifies an immediate need to reduce up to six hundred thousand existing annual service hours to operate within current funding levels and an additional annual funding shortfall of more than fifty-one million dollars to meet current target service levels, and
WHEREAS, the council has formed the King County Transportation District consistent with chapter 36.73 RCW, in order to fund transportation improvements;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The governor and members of the Washington state House of Representatives and Senate are strongly encouraged to work together to develop and enact a balanced statewide transportation package, including funding improvements to freight and commuter corridors and new local transportation funding options.
B. By September 1, 2014, the executive shall transmit a plan that fully funds the maintenance, preservation and improvement of the roadway facilities network of unincorporated King County consistent with the adopted Strategic Plan for Road Services and that may include bonding to accelerate the early investment in roadway facilities, as well as evaluation of existing and new revenue authorities and legislative strategies.
C. By September 1, 2014, the executive shall transmit a plan that fully funds programs to reduce passenger crowding, improve schedule reliability and meet target service levels in the all-day and peak transit network consistent with the King County Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation and the King County Metro Service Guidelines, including an evaluation of existing and new revenue authorities and legislative strategies.
D. King County supports the submittal to the voters of King County by the King County transportation district a ballot measure that includes a one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax and sixty dollars of vehicle fees for transportation improvements countywide with these revenues directly distributed to the cities and county in order to fund transportation improvements and that also specifies:
1. Funding for transportation improvement projects contained in the King County Transportation Plan, the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Improvement Program or the transportation program of a city within King County as developed, updated and extended by the responsible jurisdiction's actions; and
2. A low-income rebate program consistent with RCW 36.73.067 that rebates twenty dollars of vehicle fees paid.
E. Revenues shall be distributed to the cities and county through interlocal agreements that provide for:
1. Forty percent of total net revenues for transportation improvements for local mobility purposes for the cities and the unincorporated areas of the county allocated pro rata based on each jurisdiction's percentage of the total population of the jurisdictions entering into interlocal agreements for the distribution of revenue; and
2. The remaining sixty percent of total net revenues to King County in order to first fund, together with any other revenues restricted by law to Metro transit purposes, the approved transit system service levels in existence in November 2013 with the goal of avoiding the currently identified elimination of six hundred thousand transit service hours, with any remaining revenues distributed fifty percent for Metro transit purposes and fifty percent for unincorporated area road purposes.
F. King County supports the King County transportation district developing interlocal agreements for the distribution of any revenues prior to distribution to cities and King County that requires the recipient of any revenues to:
1. Use funds consistent with voter-approved uses and section D. of this motion;
2. Adopt a material change policy consistent with chapter 36.73 RCW and the policy adopted by the King County transportation district;
3. Provide annual reporting by project and project category that includes the scope, schedule and cost of each project, and whether and how the material change policy was applied;
4. Provide for indemnification and other risk management issues;
5. Agree that jurisdictions receiving revenues from the King County transportation district may combine them with other funds for the same transportation improvement;
6. Coordinate with other jurisdictions on the implementation of transportation improvement projects; and
7. Authorize the King County transportation district to audit records of the county and cities for compliance with the agreement.
G. Nothing in this motion is intended to supersede the policies, goals and priorities identified in the approved Strategic Plan for Roads Services, King County
Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation or the King County Metro Service Guidelines.