HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole - 03 Mar 2025 - Agenda - Pdf
CITY OF RENTON
AGENDA - Committee of the Whole Meeting
6:00 PM - Monday, March 3, 2025
7th Floor Conferencing Center
1. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
a) Presentation
b) Regional Affairs Agenda
c) Federal Affairs Agenda
2025
Regional and Federal Agendas
Committee of the Whole
March 3, 2025
Eric Perry, Government Affairs Manager
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Agenda
•Background
•Regional Update
•Review of Proposed 2025 Regional Agenda
•Federal Update
•Review of Proposed 2025 Federal Agenda
•Questions
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Background
•November - February: In addition to staff collaboration with
council to identify key priorities, administrators and staff reviewed
and updated their regional and federal priorities
•Aligned, where applicable, identified priorities with community feedback
received through the 2023 Citywide Community Survey
•Met with various cities, agencies, and other relevant stakeholders to identify
shared-issues and opportunities for collaboration
•March: Present to Council
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Regional Update
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Upcoming Changes to Regional
Landscape
•New King County Executive
•In November, the county will elect its first new executive since 2009
•New King County Council District 5
•KC CM De’Sean Quinn was appointed earlier this year to complete the term vacated by former District 5 CM Upthegrove, who was elected Commissioner of Public Lands•In November, District 5 will elect a new councilmember
•Projected county budget shortfall of $150 million
•Major implications for public safety
•Multiple countywide levies
•Parks Levy (August ballot)•EMS Levy (November ballot)
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2025 Regional Agenda
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2025 Regional Issue Areas
•Public Safety and Criminal Justice
•Transportation and Transit
•Housing and Community Development
•Economic and Workforce Development
•Human Services
•Homelessness and Behavioral Health
•Parks, Recreation, and Trail Connectivity
•Energy, Water, and Environmental Sustainability
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Federal Update
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Federal Leadership Overview
•The 2024 November Elections brought a large shift in the
federal government
•New Presidential Administration
•House of Representatives
•218 Republicans
•215 Democrats
•Senate
•53 Republicans
•47 Democrats
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Federal Actions and Local Government
•The Trump-Vance Administration is moving swiftly to enact President Trump’s
agenda
•So far, the President has heavily relied on existing presidential authority to issue executive
orders (EOs) but is also attempting to expand this authority over program authorizations
and public spending
•While these expansionary EOs are currently and will continue to experience
legal challenges, until those challenges are resolved, local governments will
continue to experience uncertainty about access to federal grant funding and
the traditional purviews of local control
•The City of Renton is working with our federal partners to address these
uncertainties and gain better clarity around the impacts of EOs
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Federal Actions with Potential Impacts to
Local Governments
•Unleashing American Energy (EO #14154)
•Putting American First in International Environmental Agreements (EO #14162)
•Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency (EO #14180)
•Multiple Immigration Related EOs and Proclamations
•Guaranteeing the States Protection Against Invasion (Proc. #10888)
•Designating Cartels & Other Organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially
Designated Global Terrorists (EO #14157)
•Protecting the American People Against Invasion (EO #14159)
•Securing Our Borders (EO #14165)
•Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program (EO #14163)
•Emergency at the Southern Border of the United States (Proc. #10886)
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Opportunities for Collaboration
•Nesting city priorities with the priorities of the new
administration and Congress
•Public Safety
•Infrastructure
•Technology
•Community Project Funding and Congressionally-Directed
Spending
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2025 Federal Agenda
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2025 Federal Issue Areas
•Federal Funding Opportunities
•Public Safety
•Renton Municipal Airport
•Mental and Behavioral Health
•Environment and Climate Resiliency
•Housing and Human Services
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Questions?
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CITY OF RENTON // KEY PRIORITIES
2025 Regional Affairs Agenda
Public Safety and Criminal Justice
JUVENILE JUSTICE: Actively collaborate with regional
partners to address increasing juvenile crime within the
community, with a prioritization of addressing the root
causes of juvenile crime and creating accountability.
This includes strong support for regional initiatives and
programs, such as LINC, that provide upstream invest-
ments into the community and school system, among
other early intervention efforts.
ADDRESSING VIOLENT CRIME: Continue strong
partnerships with regional partners, including joint-
agency efforts such as Valley SWAT, to address violent
crime within our community.
CO-RESPONSE EFFORTS: Maintain strong part-
nerships with local co-responder programs to ensure
individuals have access to necessary and relevant care
and services.
COMBATING FENTANYL: Actively collaborate with
regional partners to address the dangers of fentanyl
use within our community and utilize upstream invest-
ments, co-responder programs, and substance use
disorder treatments to impact change.
Transportation and Transit
SOUND TRANSIT: Actively ensure parking facilities
are in place to accommodate the opening of the Stride
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service in Renton in 2028. This
includes collaboration with Sound Transit and other
regional stakeholders to deliver the earliest possible
construction of a permanent parking structure at the
Renton Transit Center (formerly known as the South
Renton Transit Center), and the construction of a park-
and-ride facility near the NE 44th Street Station.
KING COUNTY METRO: Advocate for continual
enhancement of Metro service within Renton, ensure
efficient and timely implementation of the Rapid Ride
I-Line, and pursue RapidRide status for the Sunset-to-
Bellevue segment.
PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL (PSRC):
Ensure Renton receives its fair and equitable share of
federal pass-through funding granted within the region.
Housing and Community
Development
SUNSET AREA REVITALIZATION: Continue strong
collaboration with the Renton Housing Authority (RHA),
South King Housing & Homeless Partnership (SKHHP),
Microsoft, Amazon, and other community stakeholders
to build high-quality, affordable housing and develop-
ment projects within the area.
RENTON TRANSIT CENTER TRANSIT-ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT (TOD): Continue strong collaboration
with Sound Transit, King County, the Renton Housing
Authority (RHA), and other key stakeholders to deliver
mixed-income TOD projects within the Rainier Avenue
and Grady Way Subarea.
ARTS AND CULTURE: Track, monitor, and commu-
nicate funding opportunities available through the
4Culture program for the Renton community. In addi-
tion, continue advocacy efforts to ensure more of
these dollars are allocated for and spent within the
community.
CONTACT
Eric Perry, Government Affairs Manager
eperry@rentonwa.gov
Pending Council approval 03/03/25AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
Economic and Workforce
Development
HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION: Advocate for and
partner with the Renton School District and regional
post-secondary education providers within the commu-
nity, such as Renton Technical College, to support
high-school completion programs.
CAREER TRAINING & READINESS: Support local
programs and initiatives that equip our community
members with high-quality skills and tools for success
in the workforce, including partnerships such as the
Renton Promise.
Human Services
YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH: Strongly support upstream
investments, funding, and increased access for youth
services supporting mental and physical health,
including collaborating with the Renton School District
to identify additional funding opportunities for the
Renton Student Health Hub.
VETERANS, SENIORS, AND HUMAN SERVICES
LEVY (VSHSL): Seek additional ways to access funds
for Renton projects and organizations from within the
VSHSL.
Homelessness and
Behavioral Health
SOUTH KING COUNTY CRISIS CARE CENTER:
Strongly collaborate with King County Department of
Community and Human Services (KCDCHS), neigh-
boring South King County cities, and behavioral health
providers to deliver a high-quality and accessible Crisis
Care Center within the region.
KING COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY (KCRHA): Support initiatives within
KCRHA to find permanent supportive housing for indi-
viduals experiencing homelessness, while also strongly
advocating for greater financial transparency and effec-
tive spending of public dollars.
SOUTH KING HOUSING AND HOMELESS
PARTNERSHIP (SKHHP): Continue to participate in
and support initiatives within SKHHP.
Parks, Recreation,
and Trail Connectivity
PURSUIT OF FUNDING UNDER THE KING
COUNTY PARKS LEVY: Strongly advocate that
King County apply funding toward the extension of
existing trail infrastructure within and near the Renton
community, including the Soos Creek Trail and Eastrail
Partner’s request to invest $75 million in funding into
the Eastrail system, part of which would fund further
extension of the trail’s southern terminus into Renton
and improvements of existing trailheads and other
associated trail infrastructure.
Energy, Water, and
Environmental Sustainability
GREEN POWER: Ensure Renton residents and busi-
nesses are aware of the benefits of the Green Power
Program through collaboration with Puget Sound
Energy.
RECLAIMED WATER: Maintain active collaboration
with King County to determine where reclaimed water
should be used, sold, and marketed.
SOLID WASTE: Continue strong collaboration with
King County, the King County Solid Waste Division, and
other Sound Cities to ensure the selection of a viable,
efficient and equitable long-term alternative to the
Cedar Hills Regional Landfill.
FLOOD CONTROL: Ensure a fair share of funding goes
to Renton projects within the King County Flood Control
Zone District (KCFCZD), including a Cedar River capital
investment strategy, Renton Levee Certification, Lower
Cedar River feasibility study, Black River Pump rehabili-
tation, and Lower Cedar River Maintenance Dredging.
2025 CITY OF RENTON REGIONAL AFFAIRS AGENDA
Pending Council approval 03/03/25AGENDA ITEM #1. b)
Federal Funding Opportunities
TRANSIT ACCESS: Preserve federal funding for public
transit providers and for Sound Transit to meet the
growing needs of the Renton community.
PUBLIC WORKS & INFRASTRUCTURE:
Protect federal funding identified in the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act
(IRA) for cities of all sizes and maintain funding for the
RAISE grant program, and other important programs
that support local infrastructure needs, to ensure
local governments maintain access to these important
investment opportunities.
ELECTRIFICATION & SUSTAINABILITY: Expand
investment and funding opportunities for electric-ve-
hicle infrastructure to ensure our communities have
adequate and reliable access to charging infrastructure.
“COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING” &
“CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING”
OPPORTUNITIES: Work with Renton’s Congressional
delegation to pursue line-item funding opportunities that
will generate public benefit for the Renton community.
Public Safety
ACCESS TO JUSTICE: Bureau of Justice Assistance
funding for prosecutors and public defenders to ensure
our criminal justice system remains fair and resilient to
the growing needs of our community.
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAMS: Grants
for municipal co-responder programs and homeless
outreach teams.
COMBATING ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT:
Additional federal support for addressing organized
retail theft, including funding opportunities for local law
enforcement agencies and stronger enforcement and
prosecution from federal agencies.
FIRST RESPONDER MENTAL WELL-BEING: Support
for federal programs to provide training opportunities
and support the mental health needs of first responders.
COMBATING FENTANYL: Additional federal support
for addressing fentanyl usage within our community
and combating its distribution.
Renton Municipal Airport
GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS: Protect FAA funding
for enhancing critical general aviation and regional
airports to ensure regional aviation capacity meets the
growing needs of our community.
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS: Federal invest-
ments into new aviation transportation technologies,
such as autonomous electric vertical take-off and
landing (eVTOL) vehicles.
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION: Grants for “by-con-
tract” air traffic control tower recruitment and retention
efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: New FAA
funding for general aviation and regional airports to
reduce environmental impacts, improve efficiency, opti-
mize resource usage, and implement new clean energy
technologies.
CITY OF RENTON // KEY PRIORITIES
2025 Federal Affairs Agenda
Pending Council approval 03/03/25
CONTACT
Eric Perry, Government Affairs Manager
eperry@rentonwa.gov
AGENDA ITEM #1. c)
Mental and Behavioral Health
MENTAL HEALTH CAPACITY AND WORKFORCE:
Additional federal investments into mental health
programs, including the Mental Health Block Grant and
Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training
Program, to support the development of strong,
community-based clinics and strengthen the mental
health workforce.
SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT: DHHS funding for
enhancing the response to substance use disorders
and ensure availability of treatment centers.
YOUTH WELLBEING: Grants for school districts and
youth providers to provide mental health services and
counselling at or near school buildings.
Environment and Climate Resiliency
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: Enhance FEMA
funding for hardening critical infrastructure against
extreme weather events, including the policy recog-
nition for replacement of tree assets as a climate
mitigation strategy.
RESILIENT TECHNOLOGIES: Enhance federal
investments into resilient power grid technologies.
RESPONSE EFFICACY: Create grants for municipal
backup power systems, emergency communications,
and cellular resistance and explore policy consider-
ations mandating backup power generation for cellular
communications infrastructure that is tied into local
infrastructure, minimizing communications failures
during extreme weather events.
Housing and Human Services
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: Protect and enhance
the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
program, which allow our community to support
low-to-moderate income persons. Preservation of the
CDBG program is particularly critical as local govern-
ments lose other one-time funding sources, such as
ARPA.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Protect Low-Income
Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to ensure supply can meet
the high demand for this program and that this remains
a viable tool for development of affordable housing in
the Renton community.
HOUSING VOUCHERS: Preserve and expand, where
possible, Section 8 Housing Vouchers to ensure our
most vulnerable populations can afford safe and decent
housing in the private market, especially during the
current housing crisis.
HOMELESSNESS: Protect and maintain funding
opportunities available through the federal government
for homelessness responses, including the McKinney-
Vento Homeless Assistance Grant program.
INSTITUTIONAL EDUCATION: Protect federal PELL
Grant funding for incarcerated individuals and advocate
for expanded opportunities to educate juveniles within
the judicial system.
2025 CITY OF RENTON FEDERAL AFFAIRS AGENDA
Pending Council approval 03/03/25AGENDA ITEM #1. c)