Council Legislation

Proposed Resolution No. R2023-165s

Title: A Resolution of the Pierce County Council Adopting the Pierce County Washington State Legislative Priorities for 2024.

Status: Completed

Sponsors: Councilmembers Ryan Mello, Jani Hitchen

Final votes

December 12, 2023
Aye Aye Nay Aye Aye Aye Aye


Documents
Additional legislative records are available below Collapse All  Expand All
 

Public Comments

Name Date Comment
Cody Mecham 12/1/23 6:45 PM I disagree/agree with a few points made in Exhibit A. School Bonds or construction super majority should be left as is. The state should be funding our schools. My property taxes are already $500 a month... I disagree with the mandate on garbage service. I take my garbage directly to the transfer station on a as needed basis. I also take my recycle there as needed as well. I simply have very little garbage that I don't need to pay another monthly bill. I disagree with the additional Pierce Transit. Every bus I see is empty. Probably because they take too long, the crime, and all the drug use. I disagree with an Electric Ferry Service. How's that ferry going to work in a Power Outage? I agree we need to continue to build out SR167. We also need to get going on the HOV Lane headed SB from Algona to Sumner as we did going NB last year. I agree we need to support places for those with behavior problems. We need to more efficiently go after those few that cause problems for us law-abiding citizens.
Kathryn Webster-Minnick 12/2/23 7:07 AM I see the people living on our streets as drugs have become legal and their use rampet. We need a solution to their use and total disregard to the publics safety. Most of those on the streets perfer the street to a shelter with rules. Why has drug use become accepted in our public spaces? I am against my tax money going into schools or homeless programs until a better sense of right and wrong has been implimented. Both have been let go. Now you want to throw good monies after bad policies. It won't help the mess that has been created. You are like bad parents, throwing mo ey at their spoiled children when all the kids really need is attention and follow through. Take some control back. The rest of us are losing patience with these policies.
Kathy M 12/2/23 10:02 AM Frist off we need more mental health treatment without this the homeless crisis will see no abatement no matter the amount of money you throw at it. Supporting enforcement of the RCW laws on the books now supporting law enforcement hiring should also be priority you need LEO'S to enforce the law, so law breakers go to jail making the public safer. I am absolutely against any funding for any new ,old climate agenda. This is a man made term and an emergency that has NEVER be proven to even exist but yet for the few in power who have thrown billions on projects to halt something that has never been proven is insane. Cap and trade has already raised the cost of gas money which is going to these projects in amounts more that original figured those programs don't need any more of the tax payers money. This state just passed one of the most costly transportation agendas in state history use what you have and quit looking to the public to fund you bright new ideas . The Ferry system also needs help building new VERY VERY costly ferries rather than using that money wisely fixing or replacing aged ferries with more economically feasible ones should be the way to look. In closing here's one last comment you have implemented many new homeless programs, housing and social safety programs based on money from the ARP what are you going to do when that's gone look to us the public to farther fund these new programs think again the well is running dry like the rest of us have to do use your fund better and quit looking to the public to fund them
Sue Ann & Eddie Hamilton 12/2/23 6:00 PM School Construction: Since 1972 the basic rate for property tax levies is 1 percent of the true and fair valuation. It is not uncommon to manipulate the rate using inter-county equalization and/or adjusted millage to create the appearance of complying with legislative restrictions. Three property tax levies in excess of the 1 percent limit are available: One year for any lawful purpose, two year for support of “common schools” (since 1976) and six year for construction, modernization or remodeling of school facilities (since 1986). These three exceptions to the 1 percent limit require a supermajority vote of 60% rather than a simple majority as a form of government openness, fairness, protection and an alert to the voter of the exception to the norm that they may consider more carefully before casting a ballot. In the interest of assuring the voters’ united will and support for additional taxes the supermajority requirement of 60% should be retained. Public Banking: There is no need for government banking to be in competition with private banks and credit unions. There have been and continue to be adequate loan institutions. Climate Change: Considering 50 cent per gallon gas tax increase, increased and hidden utility costs we do not support Pierce County priorities. Housing / Right of Way Initiative: After decades of ineffective funding and building projects there needs to be a change of plan. It is not so much housing through the Right of Way Initiative that’s needed, but self-discipline and individual initiative programs. Unless people are required to contribute to their own success they will continually take from others. Programs that do not promote individual initiative are doomed to fail. Do not tolerate illegal campsites. Unless people are ready to change their lives they cannot be helped; only sustained at public expense which takes away from other programs like criminal justice, etc. Pierce Transit / Light Rail: Use is not sufficient for expansion. Safety cannot be ensured on public transit. Remove subsidies and make public transit self sustaining. Promote neighborhood people helping people programs. Long term Funding Capacity and Stability of Counties: Counties do not face significant challenges with revenue sources available to fund public safety and other essential services. County revenue is not structurally unable to fund public safety and other essential services, but unwilling to make choices. Public safety is #1 priority. Define essential services. Challenge unconstitutional and unreasonable statutorily mandated programs and services. We commented on 8 of 21 priorities. There were others we disagreed with, but 1/3 of suggested priorities were major. Please return to the drawing board and try again. Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain…. We believe He can do it through you.
Ryan Holland 12/3/23 1:10 AM The language of permanent housing is concerning and should be as permanent dwelling. The school bond majority vote change is overriding the decisional vote majority if a bond is approved or denied goes against the state constitution and will result in increase in poverty and more homelessness within the county. The public banking seems like a monopoly ploy and is very concerning. Carbon sequestration and regulations affect how trees thrive to produce oxygen and that twists the definition of land conservation. Aquaculture agenda is irrelevant to community concerns. Traffic control is not possible without capable law enforcement abilities and is a waste of resources and budgets. The notions line itemed within these priorities is noble and valued of thought, however, it takes a focus in a direction that lacks benefit and support of community concerns. The priorities listed are of a partisan and mindset that has the ability to influence members of the community and is confident in the validity of these claims. The confidence of these claims has put an effort to convince a notion of influence upon my ability to interpret the language of this piece of legislation and the influence has failed. My recommendation is that amendments be written into this legislation to administer change to benefit the concerns of the citizens addressing the council, or that the vote on the floor is not in favor of this piece of legislation. Thank you for your time.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:37 PM There are many areas I agree with in these priorities, but many I disagree with as well. I will comment on them separately.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:38 PM In the initial "High Priority Areas" I support the priorities laid out with the exception of the “Climate Commitment Act” funds. Man does not control the climate. This is vanity and I oppose expenditures in any form pursuing this folly.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:40 PM Under • Right of Way Initiative “programs that create permanent housing for the unsheltered” I oppose the “housing first” approach. It is not a solution and only increases the homeless “Industry” in a permanent manner. I do support “Expand eligibility for the disabled veteran property tax exemption program.”
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:41 PM • Economic Development & Partnerships Incentivize Green Energy Economic Development Projects: I oppose spending and creation of programs addressing climate change. Man does not control the climate. This is vanity.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:42 PM Public Banking. I oppose Public Banking. When the government owns the banks, lending decisions will driven by politics rather than economics and will open the door for social jerrymandering like DEI.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:43 PM • Environmental Stewardship Climate Change: I oppose spending and creation of programs addressing climate change. Man does not control the climate. This is vanity. I want to know how much total we are spending per capita in Pierce County and at the state level to “control the climate” These numbers are probably not flattering for climate alarmists.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:44 PM • Infrastructure Priorities County Ferry Funding I oppose electrification of our ferry. Costly and unnecessary.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:44 PM Pierce Transit. I oppose expansion of Pierce Transit. The continued push to force people into transit is very inequitable. Ridership numbers do not justify expansion of transit efforts.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:45 PM Light Rail I oppose light rail. Similar to Pierce Transit but with MUCH greater costs. No matter the funding source, this is a HUGE waste of public dollars to benefit a small portion of the demographic.
John Leslie 12/10/23 6:46 PM Graffiti and Trash Abatement: I oppose mandated residential garbage service in urban growth areas. If these areas incorporate, they will have that prerogative. This does not address the main contributor to the blight of public waste which is drug camps. They are like a landfill and need to be made illegal.
Breshears 12/12/23 8:01 AM My family and I oppose most elements of this proposal. First, mandating garbage service is unfair. Due to refusal to enforce laws and rules, encampments and drug dens are increasing everywhere which is causing the entire county to look like a landfill (worse, actually). The county and state have millions upon millions of dollars to fix it but you just want to take more of our wages. I called to report excessive garbage one time and was basically told to pick it up myself or adopt a road. That's funny. Adopt a road so I can watch vagrants take it over and destroy it. We disagree with any funds being used for "diversity" programs. These programs are the exact opposite of normalcy and human decency. The funding for schools should stay the same. We worked our behinds off for DECADES to pay off our house. We get our tax statement from the county and see that 60% of our taxes go to schools. Schools have plenty of money. If they don't, they need to work with what they have, just like we do. Pierce Transit is a waste of money. I recommend stop tinting the windows so everyone can see that there are rarely more than a few people using it. It's being used to get us out of our cars and we're told all this great housing will be built so it's convenient for everyone. We know what happens when those plans are allowed to go to the end. No one wants to fund that. I have a job, so as much as I'd like to stay here and comment on each issue, I can't. Suffice it to say that your increasing actions toward making Pierce County a socialist welfare state or a ghetto are not going unnoticed by your constituents.