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MRSC FOCUS › Focus - September 1999
 

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

Focus - September 1999

Inquiry of the Week

This week's "Inquiry of the Week":

May city councilmember, who is running for another elective office, wear his campaign button to city council meeting?

[Previous inquiries of the week]

The Increase in the Implicit Price Deflator (IPD) from July 1998 to July 1999 Was 1.42 Percent

In a news release dated August 27, 1999, the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce announced that the July 1999 index for the implicit price deflator for personal consumption expenditures was 114.40. This represents a 1.42 percent increase over July 1998. This percent is the "limit factor" for property tax levy increases under Referendum 47. RCW 84.55.010.

Here is the math. Divide the July 1999 index (114.4) by the July 1998 index (112.80). Subtract 1 and multiply by 100. The result is 1.42 percent.

The Department of Revenue tells us that this number will not be official until it is confirmed in the September 1999 issue of the Survey of Current Business.

Initiative 695 Resource Center

MRSC is providing a central information-sharing resource center for Initiative 695. We are providing relevant links and information developed by other organizations for your benefit. We do not take responsibility for any of the information provided, nor do we necessarily agree with any of the positions taken. More …

Government Services on the Web and E-Commerce

Many city, county and state governments are beginning to provide a wider variety of services on their Web sites including some forms of E-commerce. These electronically-based services can reduce the need for individuals and businesses to visit government offices where there is an option to conduct transactions over the Internet. Some of the services are fee-based requiring use of credit or debit cards while others are free. More …

Local Government Webcasting

The city of Santa Monica, Calif., provides live broadcasts or "webcasts" of city council meetings on their Web site so citizens can tune in on their computers. The city of Torrence, Calif., also webcasts their city council meetings. Torrence also provides other live and taped programming from their CitiCable TV channel on their Web site. An article, "Live Video is Coming to a Local Government Site Near You" on Civic.com discusses this trend.

Hiring Procedures

We've added a new Web page on Hiring Procedures to our Personnel page. "Hiring Procedures" provides information on basic legal guidelines for hiring local government employees.

Civil Service Page Update

In case you haven't looked in a while, you may want to revisit our Civil Service page. We've added more information on topics such as examinations and eligibility rosters, appointments, probation, discipline and discharge procedures. You will also find a number of ready reference sources including civil service related statutes, court decisions, frequently asked questions, and sample civil service rules.

A Revenue Guide for Washington Cities and Towns

MRSC has published a new edition of A Revenue Guide for Washington Cities and Towns (in Adobe Acrobat PDF format). It contains up-to-date information on revenue sources available to cities and towns for general government purposes, including the relevant statutory references and court decisions. For information on the impacts of Initiative 695 (which are not addressed in this publication), see Budget Suggestions for 2003.

Guidelines for Local Officials in Initiative 695 Campaign

There are certain restrictions in Washington State law concerning what local government officials and employees may do in regard to a campaign involving a ballot proposition. Local government officials need to be aware of these restrictions as they apply to use of public facilities, and of what rights they have as citizens to express their support or opposition to Initiative 695. For more, see Use of Public Facilities to Support or Oppose Ballot Propositions and What Can and Can't Local Government Officials and Employees Do to Support or Oppose Initiative 695.

Web Sightings - Telecommunications and Technology

This month we feature links to Web sites with information on local government telecommunications and technology issues:

Internship Network Northwest

The purpose of Internship Network Northwest (INNW) is to provide a central location where local governments can post, and where interested graduate and undergraduate students can find, internship opportunities. INNW is a collaborative effort between the Washington City/County Management Association and the Municipal Research & Services Center of Washington.

New MRSC Compilations

Check out our new compilations on Trust in Government, Nepotism Policies, and Regulations on the Storage of Recreational Vehicles.

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.

Get MRSC Web Site Updates by E-mail

You can get a monthly e-mail notifying you of selected updates to MRSC's Web site by subscribing to the mrscweb mailing list (listserv). Simply send an e-mail to Terri Sanders, MRSC Information Services Technician, at tsanders@mrsc.org. Include your first and last name and your e-mail address. You may also have your name removed from the list at any time, again by sending an e-mail to Terri Sanders with your request.

Unlike most listservs, mrscweb is not a discussion list to which all subscribers may post messages, but a free subscription to a monthly notice updating you on major changes and additions to the MRSC Web site.