Focus - January 2001

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Note: Some of the information on this archival Web page may no longer be current.

Focus - January 2001

MRSC launches local government business Web site

MRSC launched a local government business Web site on January 22, 2001. On the web at http://beginwa.org, the Business E-government Information Network currently includes more than 90 city business license application forms, along with information about licensing requirements and regulations. This site will make it easier for companies that conduct business in multiple localities to obtain license application forms. See the complete press release.

Attorney General Opinion on Costs of Street Lighting

In AGO 2001 No. 1, the attorney general's office addresses the authority of cities and towns to shift the costs of street lighting from the general government to utility customers, and concludes that they lack the authority to operate their street lighting as a utility or to impose a charge on utility customers for the cost of furnishing street lighting.

I-722 Preliminary Injunction

A preliminary injunction (

1,027kb) against implementing and enforcing Initiative 722 was entered on November 30, 2000 by Thurston County Superior Court Judge Christine Pomeroy. The injunction applies to all parties in the lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the initiative that were consolidated in the Thurston County Superior Court. The court is scheduled to hear motions for summary judgment in the consolidated cases on February 23, 2001.

In an order entered on January 9, 2001, the court extended the preliminary injunction to include all cities, towns, and counties, regardless of whether they were parties to the original lawsuits. However, counties were required to confirm their desire not to be excluded as plaintiffs by January 5. Thirty-five counties confirmed their status as plaintiffs; Asotin, Grays Harbor, Island, and Kittitas counties did not.

Other documents from this case can be found in the Litigation section of our Initiative 722 page.

AT&T Cable Franchise Fee Issue

In December AT&T sent letters to some cities and counties that have granted CATV franchises to the company. The letter alleges that a 9th circuit federal court decision supports the company's view that franchise fees are not due on revenue earned on cable modem services because the court ruled that such services are a "telecommunications service" rather than a "cable service." More...

Update: January 1st deadline extended by AT&T to February 15
AT&T has extended the time for local governments to respond to their earlier letter regarding payment of franchise fees on cable modem revenues to February 15th, giving local governments more time to review this issue. See letter from AT&T to Elizabeth Beaty, Executive Director, NATOA, dated January 4, 2001. This temporary reprieve was granted through the intervention of NATOA and several jurisdictions.

New Discussion Forum Topic – Focus Groups

What do citizens think about the public agency services they receive, and what are their opinions about how public money should be spent? In “Learning About Your Customers (Citizens) – Focus Groups,” Carolyn Browne, Principal, Carolyn Browne Associates, discusses the use of focus groups for gathering information about what citizens think and want. Carolyn is also moderating a discussion on this topic in the MRSC Discussion Forum. A Help Page offers step-by-step instructions for joining the discussion.

New Web Page - Public Facilities Districts

If you build it, they will come … but first you may need to form a public facilities district. Our new Public Facilities District page will help get you started.

Inquiry of the Week

This week's "Inquiry of the Week":

How are the powers of initiative and referendum exercised?

[Previous inquiries of the week]

E-Government

PTI and NLC recently published “City Hall Without Walls: A Resource Kit on Electronic Government” for local elected officials. The report provides background information on electronic government, a checklist for working with e-government partners, and a list of resources.

Ten Steps to a High Tech Future

A new Brookings Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy report, “Ten Steps to a High Tech Future: The New Economy in Metropolitan Seattle,” looks at the location pattern of high tech firms in the Seattle metropolitan region to learn what factors influenced their location decisions within the region and identifies public policy strategies to encourage high tech development in urban centers.

County Finances Study Released

The League of Women Voters of Washington in cooperation with the Institute for Washington's Future released a new report, “County Finances: Tax and Revenue Systems in Washington Counties,” in October. The purpose of the study and report was to identify taxes and revenues currently collected by Washington counties and to develop a comparative analysis of the structure, productivity, and impact of those tax systems.

ADA Guidelines For Play Areas

On October 18, 2000, the Federal Access Board issued final accessibility guidelines for newly built or altered play areas under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The guidelines address play areas provided at schools, parks, child care facilities (except those based in the operator’s home, which are exempt), and other facilities subject to the ADA.

Web Sightings

In case you missed them, here's a look back at 2000's Web Sightings:

NACO’s 2001 Achievement Awards Program

Applications for the National Association of Counties’ 2001 Achievement Award Program are available online. Begun in 1970, the annual Achievement Award Program is a noncompetitive awards program which seeks to recognize innovative county government programs. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, February 2, 2001.

Washington Hospitals Face Reduction in Services or Closings

A report by the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) states that hospitals across the state are losing money and it could get worse. More …

Number of Employees by Jurisdiction

Our “Number of Employees by Jurisdiction” pages for cities and counties have been updated based on AWC’s 2000 salary survey.

IRS Mileage Reimbursement Rate

The IRS mileage reimbursement rate is increased to $ 0.345 per mile. The Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2000-49 released on December 4th, 2000 has added Revenue Procedure 2000-48, page 570, which changes the optional rate for deducting or accounting for expenses for business use of an automobile. The new rate takes effect in 2001 and supersedes the current rate of $ 0.325 per mile.

Hazardous Liquids Pipeline Safety Rulemaking

Representatives of cities and counties are urged to comment and/or attend the Utility and Transportation Commission's (UTC) sEcond workshop on Hazardous Liquids Pipeline Safety Rulemaking on January 23, 2001. UTC is soliciting comments by January 9, 2001 on questions related to operation and maintenance of safe and efficient hazardous liquids pipeline facilities, emergency procedures for hazardous liquids pipelines, reporting, and penalties and enforcement. The questions are attached to the notice on the UTC's Web site under Pipeline Safety - Public Involvement Notice of Workshop and Date to File Written Comments.

New Shoreline Master Program Guidelines
Adopted

On November 29, the Department of Ecology adopted new shoreline master program guidelines (Chapter 173-26 WAC), ending a five-year effort to review and update the state regulations. More …

Washington City/County History Quiz

The original site of this city was once known as “Schiet-woot,” (place of the bear) to the Native Americans whose village had occupied it for many generations before the first white settlement was established. Peter Puget, and a crew from the British Vancouver Expedition visited the site in 1792. The U.S. Exploring Expedition under Lt. Charles Wilkes came to the site in 1841 and named the waterfront bay after a member of that expedition, Midshipman Thomas A. Budd. What city is it? And the answer is ~drum roll~ …

Selected New MRSC Library Materials

Browse through a selected list of new MRSC Library materials (listed by subject). The list includes new library books, videos, articles, government publications, and more.

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