Agenda Item No.

IV-2 City of Wichita City Council Meeting January 7, 2014 TO: SUBJECT: INITIATED BY: AGENDA: Mayor and City Council 2014 State Legislative Agenda City Managers Office New Business

Recommendation: Approve the 2014 State Legislative Agenda. Background: Each year, City Departments are asked to submit requests for consideration in the legislative agenda. Those suggestions, along with other issues developed by community partners, are evaluated for inclusion in the agenda. Once approved, the agenda will be published on the Citys website, and circulated to the State legislative delegation. Legislative strategies will be developed to secure positive outcomes for the respective agenda. Analysis: The State agenda contains requests for appropriations and policy actions that relate to municipal practices, public safety, water quality and supply, transportation, and various issues of community-wide interest. The State Legislative Agenda may be expanded as additional issues evolve before the State Legislature. Legislative action on the state agenda would take place prior to the end of the 2014 state fiscal year on June 30, 2014. Financial Consideration: None of the State Legislative Agenda items require a formal commitment of local matching funds beyond existing authorizations. Legal Consideration: The Law Department has reviewed the Legislative Agenda. Any necessary contracts and/or memorandums of understanding will be initiated as needed for fulfillment of state funding appropriations and be reviewed and approved as to form by the Law Department. Recommendation/Actions: It is recommended that the City Council approve the 2014 Legislative Agenda. Attachment: Summation of the 2014 State Legislative Agenda.

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2014 CITY OF WICHITA STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA N

Jan. 7, 2014 Dale Goter Government Relations Manager

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AGENDA CATEGORIES

WATER ISSUES COMMUNITY BUDGET ISSUES POLICY ISSUES OTHER: Public Safety, Creative Districts

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2014 State Legislative g Agenda g

WATER ISSUES

EQUUS BEDS AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY FUNDING STATE WATER PLAN/GOVERNANCE/FUNDING EQUUS BEDS SUSTAINABILITY

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Equus q Beds ASR funding g

ISSUE: The 2013 Legislature g approved pp the Governors FY2014 recommendation of $449,166. The Governors budget proposal for FY2015 provides $449,225 for the E Equus Beds B d Aquifer A if St Storage and d Recovery R project. j t The Th Kansas Water Authority has also endorsed that budget recommendation.

RECOMMEND: The Wichita City Council supports the Governors recommendation for FY2015.

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State Water Fund

ISSUE: Governance of the states water resources has not undergone a comprehensive review since the 1980s. Gov. Brownback has called for development of a 50-year plan for th St the States t water t resources. RECOMMEND: The Wichita City Council supports the Governors Governor s initiative and encourages a re-evaluation re evaluation of state Water Fund governance, collection and distribution. This issue is continued from the 2012-2013 City of Wichita legislative agendas. d

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Equus Beds Sustainability

ISSUE: Salt p plumes threaten the Equus q Beds aquifer q from the north and the west. The ASR project offers some protection, but a broader solution is necessary to assure long term availability il bilit of f this thi i important t t water t resource. RECOMMEND: The Wichita City Council recommends the State of Kansas recognize the sustainability of the Equus Beds Aquifer in the same context as current dredging proposals for surface water reservoirs.

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2014 State Legislative g Agenda g

COMMUNITY BUDGET ISSUES

AFFORDABLE AIRFARES NIAR (National Institute for Aviation Research) NCAT (National Center for Aviation Training) PASSENGER RAIL

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Affordable Airfares, , NIAR, , NCAT

ISSUE: State funding g for Kansas Affordable Airfares Program, National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), Wichita Area Technical College and the National Center for Aviation v a o Training a g (NCAT) (NC ) is s vitally v a y important po a to o the e economic eco o c wellbeing of south-central Kansas.

The past several years, each of these items has been funded in the Governors budget. Last year, the Legislature cut the Governors recommendation for NCAT by $2 million in the FY2014 budget and has sustained that cut in the proposed FY2015 budget. Technical education for high school students at WATC under SB155 is also underfunded.

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Affordable Airfares, , NIAR, , NCAT

RECOMMEND: The Wichita City Council supports

continued state grant funding for Affordable Airfares, NIAR and NCAT at $5 million. That includes restoration of the $2 million funding cut imposed on the National Center for Aviation Training during the 2013 legislative session. Additionally the Council supports full funding of Senate Bill Additionally, 155 and the Board of Regents funding formula affecting WATC/NCAT.

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Passenger g Rail

ISSUE: Public support pp and awareness of the possibility p y of passenger rail service connecting Oklahoma City and Wichita/Newton has grown over the past two years.

RECOMMEND: The Wichita City Council encourages the State to expedite completion of the necessary environmental study to allow future federal/state funding.

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2014 State Legislative g Agenda g

POLICY ISSUES

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMMIGRATION TAXATION PUBLIC LOBBYING LOCAL ELECTIONS

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Economic Development p

ISSUE: Existing economic development tools are essential for the continued growth and prosperity of our community. RECOMMEND: The Wichita City Council supports continuation of its 2012 legislative agenda item, calling for protection of existing economic development tools for local public public-private private partnerships. Among those are Go Wichita, Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts, Community Improvement Districts (CIDs), (CIDs) Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) and Sales Tax Revenue (STAR) bonds. (full list on next slide)

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Economic Development Programs

GWEDC/GO WICHITA: Support existing statutory records exemptions Industrial Revenue Bond tax abatements (IRBX) Economic Development Exemptions (EDX) Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Sales Tax Revenue (STAR) Bonds Community Improvement Districts (CID) Neighborhood Revitalization Area (NRA) tax rebates Special Assessment financing for neighborhood infrastructure projects, faade improvements and abatement of asbestos and lead-based paint. State Historic Preservation Tax Credits (HPTC) St t administration State d i i t ti of f federal f d lL Low Income I H Housing i T Tax C Credits dit (LIHTC) High Performance Incentive Program (HPIP) tax credits Investments in Major Projects and Comprehensive Training (IMPACT) grants Promoting g Employment p y Across Kansas (PEAK) ( ) program p g Economic Revitalization and Reinvestment Act bonding for major aviation and wind energy projects Kansas Industrial Training (KIT) and Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR) grants Network Kansas tax credit funding State support for Innovation Commercialization Centers in Commerce Department budget

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Immigration g

ISSUE: Immigration reform holds tremendous economic and social implications for Kansas and local communities

RECOMMEND: The Wichita City Council encourages the Kansas Legislature to support a federal solution to immigration reform that allows reasonable access to citizenship while assuring adequate border security and protecting our economy and workforce. Any immigration legislation generated by Congress or the State of Kansas should not negatively impact local governments with additional law enforcement or administrative burdens.

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Taxation

ISSUE: Changes g in the States tax structure may y place p greater burden on local tax efforts. The Legislature periodically has considered measures to restrict local governments t opportunity t it to t raise i tax t revenues t to meet t th the needs of local citizens. RECOMMENDATION: The Wichita City Council opposes any legislative attempts to restrict the taxing and spending authority of local governments.

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Public Lobbying y g

ISSUE: The State Legislature g currently y is considering g restrictions on the ability of local governments to communicate with state legislators.

RECOMMENDATION: The Wichita City Council opposes any restrictions on the use of state and/or local public monies to provide information to our citizens and to advocate on their behalf. behalf

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Local Elections

ISSUE: The State Legislature has recently considered various bills that would force local governments to change their current schedule of local elections.

RECOMMENDATION: The Wichita City Council supports the current framework f local elections, continuing the current February/April for /A schedule of local primary and general elections, as well as the local option allowing non-partisan elections.

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2014 State Legislative g Agenda g

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Wichita City Council supports legislative solutions regarding g g certain community y public p safety concerns such as metal theft and domestic violence. The City of Wichita will participate in the formation of legislative solutions and support their enactment.

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2014 State Legislative g Agenda g

CREATIVE DISTRICTS

The Wichita City Council supports the development of appropriate state and local incentives to nurture and preserve arts activity throughout the City of Wichita and the State of Kansas.

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