HomeMy WebLinkAbout2935 RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of
Bremerton, Washington seeking State legislative action to address
funding for municipal transportation infrastructure.
WHEREAS, the City shares with other Washington cities the converging
challenges of maintaining an aging transportation infi'astmeture while also attempting to expand
mobility resources for neighborhoods, business investment, economic vitality and future
development; and
WHEREAS these challenges are compounded by the erosion of viable funding
resources for transportation even as the needs for funding intensify; for example:
(a) During the 14-year period since 1990, cities have lost transportation revenue
sources;
(b) In 1995, the Supreme Court ruled Residential Street Utility Fees unconstitutional,
and more recently, cities lost the Vehicle License Fee due to the passage of Initiative 776;
(c) Fuel tax revenues have declined at an average rate of almost 4 percent per year (in
inflation adjusted dollars) due to the restrictive structuring of that revenue source; and
WHEREAS, Washington's municipalities do not have sufficient viable funding
mechanisms to implement adequate and appropriate user fees for transportation improvements;
and
WHEREAS, the last comprehensive action by the Legislature to provide local
options for transportation funding was in 1990; and
WHEREAS, at that time, the Legislature, recognizing the need for local
transportation funding, authorized four trading mechanisms: a local option fuel tax; a
commercial parking tax; street utility fees; and vehicle license fees, and
WHEREAS, 14 years later, none of these sources are currently viable for local
transportation funding; and
WHEREAS, as the condition of the transportation infrastructure deteriorates, the
cost becomes significantly more expensive for repair or replacement, effectively doubling every
10 to 15 years; and
WHEREAS, the cost to the public extends beyond these direct costs in the form
of impacts on the quality of life, on the business investment climate, on the cost of vehicle
maintenance, and on the ability to travel without facing delays, detours, and congestion; NOW
THEREFORE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BREMERTON, WASHINGTON,
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION1. The City calls upon the Governor and the Legislature to provide
new and appropriate funding tools that may be administered at the municipal level to pay for
transportation infi'astrucmre.
SECTION2. The City calls upon the Governor and the Legislature to provide
additional direct funding, generated by the State, for municipal transportation infrastructure.
SECTION3. The City encourages other Washington municipalities to join in this
call by passing similar resolutions as a means of conveying the severity and urgency of the
situation.
SECTION4. Severability. If any one ormore sections, subsections, or
sentences of this Resolution are held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not
affect the validity of the remaining portion of this Resolution and the same shall remain in full
fome and effect.
SECTIONS. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect and be in force
immediately upon its passage.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Bremerton, Washington this
day of ~t~, 2004.
DAREN NYGREN, Council0'r~sident
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST: / )
P UL^
R'~ER A. LUBOVICH, City ARome~ JO~lqS'TON, Interim City Clerk
R:~LEGAL~RcsolutionsXPublic Works~Resolution, State Legislation, Trans Planning.doc
2