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

Focus - December 2002

		Web Sightings - Indian Gaming (December 30) The topic of tribal gaming has been a hot issue in recent years, as many casinos are being developed by Indian tribes in Washington and other states. Here are some Web sites and reports on tribal gaming and related issues: "Background to Dream: Impacts of Tribal Gaming in Washington State" (298 KB), by Cheryl Simrell King and Casey Kanzler, July 2002 - Study assesses the impacts of tribal gaming on Indians, tribes and their surrounding communities in Washington State Perchanga Net - News on Indian Gaming Washington State Gambling Commission - Tribal Casino Issues "Untaxed and Lightly Regulated," Washington Research Council, November 2002 - Assessment of casinos and their impact on state and local governments Washington Indian Gaming News Native Americans are Cashing-In with Gambling Casinos on the Reservation, from University of California at Berkeley class "Economic Contributions of Indian Tribes to the Economy of Washington State" (1.28 MB), by Veronica E. Tiller and Robert A. Chase
		Department of Ecology to Propose New Shoreline Rules (December 31) The State Department of Ecology (DOE) entered into a settlement agreement (18 KB) with environmental and business groups and local governments to end DOE's appeal of a Shorelines Hearings Board decision invalidating DOE's shoreline management guidelines. As a result, DOE will propose new draft guidelines and, along with the other parties to the agreement, will seek state funding to help local governments update their shoreline master programs. For more information, see DOE's Shoreline Guidelines Home Page.
		State Minimum Wage Increases to $7.01 on Jan. 1 (December 31) Workers earning minimum wage in Washington will make $7.01 per hour starting Jan. 1, 2003, an 11-cents-an-hour increase over the current minimum wage of $6.90. For more information, go to the State Department of Labor and Industries Web site.
		Citizen Participation - Multnomah County's Interactive Budget Tool (December 31) Citizens in Multnomah County, Oregon, can use the county's new interactive budget web page to try their hand at balancing the county's budget, deciding what services to cut and what to maintain-using the actual budget figures and program information.
		New HUD Web Site Aims to Produce Affordable Housing (December 31) The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development recently launched the Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse to support state and local governments and other organizations seeking information about laws, regulations, and policies affecting the development, maintenance, improvement, availability, and cost of affordable housing.
		E-Government on a Budget (December 31) Using technology in government may not be cheap, but it has become more affordable thanks to low-cost e-government offerings for local jurisdictions. More from Government Technology's Web site.
		Water Security Tool to Provide Information to Utilities on Threats (December 31) The Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center launched on December 30 will provide security information and terrorist threat alerts to America's drinking water and wastewater utilities. More from the American Public Works Association Web site.
		Partnership between King County and Suburban Cities Keeps Parks and Pools Open (December 17) Due to an ongoing structural gap between revenues and expenses, King County has been evaluating options for the continued funding of its parks and pools located within cities. The county concluded that it needed to transfer several of these facilities to the cities and focus its remaining resources on its regional facilities. More from King County's Web site.
		Snohomish County Eases Regulatory Burden for Small Developments (December 17) Developers of small residential parcels within Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) of up to nine lots will face fewer regulatory and financial hurdles following county code changes approved by the Snohomish County Council on Oct. 30, 2002. More from Snohomish County's Web site.
		Toolkit for Historic Preservation and Neighborhood Redevelopment (December 17) The National Trust for Historic Preservation's publication, Rebuilding Community: A Best Practices Toolkit for Historic Preservation and Redevelopment, provides a host of tools to forge community revitalization strategies. The toolkit describes effective public policies, innovative financing programs, model partnerships and powerful marketing and design programs that have been used successfully in communities to stimulate housing rehabilitation.
		Federal Funding for Parks and Recreation Programs (December 17) The National Recreation and Park Association has posted an online guide to sources of federal funding for parks and recreation programs. "Federal Funding Sources" includes the names of agencies offering funding; descriptions of the projects for which funding is available; and Web links, contact names and telephone numbers for each program. State contacts also are supplied for many of the entries.
		Low-Cost Options for Creating a GIS (December 17) Local governments have found geographic information systems (GIS) to be invaluable tools. However, developing and maintaining a GIS can be costly. Local governments have several options to reduce GIS start-up and maintenance costs. More from American City & County.
		State Patrol Vehicle Impound Regulation Invalidated (December 13) On December 12, the state supreme court, in a 5-4 decision, invalidated a Washington State Patrol regulation that, regardless of the circumstances, required state patrol officers to impound vehicles driven by persons who are arrested for driving with a suspended or revoked license. The court held the rule invalid because it exceeded the statutory authority in RCW 46.55.113, which the court determined grants discretionary authority to impound. This decision is significant for counties and cities with similar mandatory impound rules.
		New Guidebook on Green Affordable Housing (December 10) The SeaGreen Affordable Housing Guide (2.9 MB ) was developed by Seattle's Office of Housing to promote energy conservation, operational savings and sustainable building practices in affordable multifamily housing projects.
		Recruiting and Selecting Local Government Administrators (December 10) The International City/County Management Association's Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator (204 KB) publication has been updated. The guidebook contains tips on recruiting applicants, determining finalists, and interviewing techniques.
		Rural Development Council Offers Community Assessments (December 10) The Washington Rural Development Council offers a community-based planning assessment program consisting of field visits by an independent resource team to help rural communities with the process of building locally-conceived and driven economic development strategies. More from the Courthouse Journal.
		Washington Counties Benefit From Cooperative Purchasing (December 10) Hundreds of local governments in the State of Washington are saving tens of thousands of dollars every month by participating in the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance. More from the Courthouse Journal.
		Strategies for Cities with Vacant Property (December 10) Two new studies from The Brookings Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, "Seizing City Assets: Ten Steps to Urban Land Reform," and "Vacant Property Policy and Practice: Baltimore and Philadelphia," urge cities to "recognize vacant and abandoned land as an asset, plan for its reuse, overcome legal and administrative barriers to redevelopment and target resources to maximize benefits."
		Washington State Tax Structure Study Released (December 4) The Washington Tax Structure Study Committee released its Tax Alternatives for Washington State report to the state legislature with a list of potential improvements to what it called a "flawed" state tax system.
		L&I Adopts 29 Percent Rate Increase (December 4) The Department of Labor and Industries has adopted a 29 percent rate increase for 2003. On Jan. 1, the average rate will rise from 36.9 cents for each hour worked to 47.6 cents. It's the agency's first general rate increase in eight years. More from L & I News.
		City Fiscal Conditions Decline for First Time in a Decade (December 4) For the first time in nearly a decade, most city officials say that, financially, they are worse off today than they were in the previous fiscal year. That, according to the most recent National League of Cities' survey of city finance officers. More from the National League of Cities' site.
		FEMA and OMB Launch Disaster Help Portal (December 4) FEMA and OMB recently announced the pilot launch of Disasterhelp.Gov, a one-stop portal for disaster preparedness and response information. The pilot launch will test its ability to maximize information available to first responders and minimize the effects of a disaster.
		Counter-Terrorism Training and Resources (December 4) The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs Counter-Terrorism Training and Resources for Law Enforcement Web site serves as a single point of access to counter-terrorism training opportunities and assistance in developing strategic plans for professional training and local emergency response.