Wanted: University Place City Council Applicants

Ready to go from University Place involved citizen/stakeholder/business owner to local public official? Now's your chance!

For those interested, the City of University Place is currently seeking an applicant to fill the City Council vacancy of Position #7. Just make sure and toss your hat into the ring before noon, Friday, January 8, 2010, the application due date.

Application materials and more information can be found at the City of University Place website.

New Legislative Session

The Washington State Legislature will begin its session on January 11, 2010. This session will be short (60-days) and will focus on trying to overhaul the biennium budget, which currently has a $2.6 billion hole.

At this point, legislators are attempting to find solutions to filling the gap through cuts or new taxes, or a combination of both. While no immediate solutions have garnered support, it can be safe to assume that all are hoping for a recovered economy to help improve the proceedings in Olympia next year and especially when the legislature meets in 2011 to determine its next 2-year budget.

Until then, the legislators will be pondering how to devise a budget that makes steep cuts in health care, human services and education without impacting the users of those services. The alternative to those sharp cuts would be raising revenue through taxes, an action no elected official wants to take during an election year. It is most likely that a combination of those two approaches will be taken.

The Chamber will be working in Olympia to monitor and fend off tax increases that would harm or hinder businesses and job creation. The Chamber will also be conducting its annual “lunch with legislators” sometime in February. If you wish to attend, please go on-line later in January to register at www.tacomachamber.org.

US Rep. Dicks Cleared of False Allegations

The Office of Congressional Ethics has dropped its investigation into U.S. Representative Norm Dicks and other congressional members concerning alleged misconduct with the defunct lobbying firm PMA Group.

The OCE determined the allegations -- that the lobbying firm had influenced members of Congress to earmark specific defense contracts in exchange for campaign contributions or other items of value -- should be dismissed.

More details on this story are available at the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

Decision 2010: Tacoma School Levies

Supporters of the levies for the Tacoma School District met with the Chamber's Public Affairs Council to discuss the need for replacing the school district's expiring levy and an additional levy for school facility improvements and upgrades.

The levies will appear on the February 9, 2010 ballot where they will each need one vote over 50 percent of the total vote to pass.

Mayor-elect Marilyn Strickland led off the discussion at the Chamber group's monthly meeting by providing an overview of the package and making the case that "education is a priority in this city." She was followed by representatives from the school district who provided details about the levies and the financial impacts upon homeowners in the district.

The Replacement Levy (Proposition 1) accounts for 22 percent of the district's overall budget for day-to-day operations and education programs, while the School Facilities Improvement Levy will "renovate or replace three schools and make district-wide school facility improvements. More information on the levies can be found at www.tacomaschools.org or by contacting Dan Voelpel, who recently joined the school district's Public Information Office, at (253) 571-1015.

The Chamber's Public Affairs Council is considering a position on both of the levies. More information about the Chamber's position on these levies can be found soon at this blog.

Tacoma Voids Tax Clawback

The current economic challenges have forced many local businesses into layoffs that they'd rather avoid.

This is especially true of local businesses that were beneficiaries of the B&O tax offset incentive for hiring of new, family-wage jobs. Some of these businesses were surprised with a cautionary letter from the Tacoma Tax & License office that they would owe the City of Tacoma refunds of these tax offset incentives if the enumerated employees were let go.

The Chamber and EDB brought this hardship on local businesses to the attention of the Tacoma City Council. Councilmembers agreed and developed a repeal of the "clawback" provisions. The effective city legislation, Ordinance 27862, was adopted last night: 8 for yes to 0 (1 vacant) opposed.

Our thanks to the Tacoma City Council for having the vision to incentivize employment growth and to recognize necessary action to support business retention during this challenging economy.

WA Unemployment Comp Rises

Employment Security says unemployment insurance tax rates will rise in 2010 for many employers.

Last week, the Employment Security Department began mailing 2010 tax-rate notices to more than 150,000 Washington businesses. The average tax rate in 2010 will be 2.38 percent, up from 1.55 percent in 2009. The 2010 tax rates will range from 0.95 percent to 6 percent.

WashACE reported late last year on all the labor costs in Washington State.

PCEI Broadcast Times and Channels

TV Tacoma is carried on both the Click! Cable TV and Comcast Cable systems.

On Click! TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma City Limits And in Pierce County, with the exception of University Place, where it is found on Channel 21.

On Comcast, TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma City limits and on Channel 21 in Pierce County. It is NOT carried on the Comcast system in University Place.

TV Tacoma is also streamed on the Internet at http://www.tvtacoma.com/.