Municipal Research Council Funding Bills Introduced

January 19, 2000

Substitute House Bill 2477 and Senate Bill 6357 have been introduced to address the loss of MVET funding by the Municipal Research Council. The Municipal Research Council(MRC) is the state agency that contracts with the Municipal Research and Services Center to provide programs and services to local governments. The two bills are identical. The introduction of simultaneous legislation in the state House of Representatives and the state Senate is intended to expedite the legislative process during a short 60-day session.

The proposed legislation would take a small portion of the cities' distribution of the profits of the state liquor board to continue MRSC services. Cities, counties, and the state of Washington share in liquor profits. Cities receive 40% of excess profits after specified distributions are made. Counties receive 10% and the state general fund receives 50% of the excess. For calendar year 2000, cities will receive an estimated $21,102,000 in profits of the liquor board. About 8% of the cities' distribution of this fund source would be used to fund the city portion of the Municipal Research Council budget for a full year. Under this funding plan, each city would support MRC at a level of approximately 26 cents per capita in calendar year 2000, and 51 cents per capita in 2001. The difference is because the MRC budget cycle runs from July 1 to July 1, and the MRC is funded until July 1, 2000. Cities operate on a calendar year budget cycle beginning January 1st.

This legislation has bipartisan sponsorship. Many legislators have been contacted by their cities expressing support for MRSC's continued funding. Also, legislators are persuaded by the Association of Washington Cities' unanimous adoption of a resolution supporting continued funding of the Municipal Research Council. Legislators seem to respect the fact that cities are willing to fund MRC with city monies. The proposal does not adversely affect the state budget. The recommendation continues a long-standing policy of city support for a city program.

Richard Yukubousky, Executive Director
Municipal Research & Services Center