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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 Legislative Priorities Prepared by: Rachel Kilburg, Assistant to the City Manager, 410 E. Washington St., Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 356-5014 Resolution No. ______________ Resolution Establishing The City Of Iowa City’s 2021 Legislative Priorities Whereas, the Iowa City City Council seeks to encourage legislation that enhances the quality of life for residents in Iowa City as well as the State of Iowa; and Whereas, the City of Iowa City and other cities play a critical role in the future of the State; and Whereas, it is in the interest of the residents of Iowa City that the City Council establish legislative priorities and convey said priorities to our State delegation and other relevant stakeholders. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Iowa City City Council hereby outlines its legislative proposals to the Iowa City area legislative delegation for the 2021 Iowa State legislative session as follows: Strategic plan objective: demonstrate leadership in climate action Support for Climate Action Initiatives Support initiatives and legislation that further the goals contained in Iowa City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and Accelerating Iowa City Climate Actions report. Iowa City encourages the State to adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code and provide cities the ability to make local amendments. The City also encourages the state to initiate a statewide climate action plan and invest directly in environmental and ecological efforts that will support all Iowans. Strategic plan objective: advance social justice, racial equity, and human rights Support reform measures to reduce racial disparity in the criminal justice system and address systemic racism In the state of Iowa, Black people and persons of color are a small percentage of the population but are significantly overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Discriminatory criminal justice policies and disparate enforcement outcomes should be addressed through uniform minimum implicit bias and cultural competency training requirements for law enforcement and decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana. Iowa City also supports the recommendations issued by the Governors FOCUS Committee on Criminal Justice Reform to promote unbiased policing, which include requiring and automating data collection on race/ethnicity from traffic stops and adopting a statutory ban on disparate treatment in law enforcement activities. Additionally, the City requests the State conduct a statewide review of community police review boards and corresponding legislative policies to ensure these bodies have adequate oversight powers. Law enforcement agencies also need expanded legal avenues for addressing hate related acts. Currently, the State Hate Crimes provision, Iowa Code Chapter 729A, enhances the penalty for certain crimes when they are committed because of a person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability, but harassment and Resolution No. ___________ Page 2 trespass with the intent to harass are not included as enhanceable offenses. Iowa City encourages the State to amend the existing Iowa hate crimes law to include harassment as an enhanceable offense. Support crisis intervention efforts and provide adequate funding for localities to implement a mental health care continuum of services responsive to local need Local law enforcement agencies are developing innovative solutions for preventing or improving the response to calls for service which involve individuals experiencing a behavioral health, substance abuse, housing, or other similar form of crisis. One strategy being explored locally involves law enforcement documenting information about the contact made with an individual in these types of incidents and sharing this information with licensed health care or social service providers. The goal of information sharing is to provide opportunity for referral or intervention and reduce the likelihood of the need for future police involvement. To ensure an effective response is not dampened by confidentially concerns for the crisis victim’s information, Iowa City supports confidentiality protections for reports by law enforcement regarding contact with a person experiencing a crisis that contain personally-identifiable information. Additionally, Iowa City encourages the State to enhance and expand support for mental health care and intervention services to better treat those individuals who are at-risk for hospitalization or jailing. Specifically, the City supports lifting the moratorium on specialty courts and increasing funding through the Iowa Department of Corrections and Iowa Department of Justice for specialty courts, including the proposed Sixth Judicial District Civil Mental Health Court. Additionally, the State is encouraged to seek additional capacity for mental health care in Iowa, including investing in Assistive Outpatient Treatment (AOT) and increasing the reimbursement rates for mental health providers. Strategic plan objective: invest in public infrastructure, facilities, and fiscal reserves Ensure the continued funding of commercial & industrial property tax replacement payments 2013 property tax reform measures are placing significant financial pressures on cities across the state. Backfilling a portion of property tax revenue lost to local jurisdictions was an important component of the 2013 legislation and recognized the necessity of this revenue for local government operations. However, in recent years, state-level discussions of eliminating or phasing out the backfill payments has been a threat to Iowa cities’ abilities to maintain basic service levels. The Fiscal Year 2021 backfill payment to Iowa City is estimated to be approximately $1.6 million. To demonstrate the magnitude of these payments, this equates to the annual personnel expenses for approximately 15 full-time firefighters. Cuts to such basic services would be necessary, in addition to raising property tax rates, to compensate for lost reimbursement revenue. Raising tax rates to compensate for reduced taxable value negates the intention of property tax reform. The City of Iowa City encourages the State to continue funding for commercial and industrial property tax backfill payments to cities and fulfill these reimbursements at the full amount. Resolution No. ___________ Page 3 Continue Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) funding The REAP grant program has been critical for improvements and protection of Iowa City’s natural resources, park areas, and open spaces. Although REAP has been authorized to receive $20 million in funding until Fiscal Year 2021, the state legislature has historically appropriated less. In 2020, the REAP was appropriated $12 million (approximately $12.5 million including interest income). The City encourages the State to extend funding authorizations for REAP and increase the annual appropriation to ensure continued conservation of Iowa’s natural resources. Strategic plan objective: foster health neighborhoods and affordable housing throughout the city Protect Home Rule authority for local governments Local governments are uniquely positioned to respond to the needs and priorities of our residents and taxpayers. Cities innovate in response to local conditions and implement new ideas that can benefit the State as a whole, and more closely reflect the priorities of the public we serve. This includes local flexibility in local building codes, revenue options, and land use decisions and the preservation of cities’ authority to restrict housing discrimination based on source of income. Support University of Iowa Student Government (USG) proposal regarding rental property move-in checklists During the 2020 Iowa legislative session, a bill (S.F. 2216) was introduced which would require landlords to provide and use an inventory checklist at the start and end of a tenancy and included a process for implementation. Important requirements which protect tenants against unfair withholdings of rental deposits are detailed in the bill, including a list of required items to be included on the checklist, a file retention period, and a requirement for landlords to provide a copy of this documentation to tenants. Iowa City registered in support of this proposal. With University of Iowa students representing a significant portion of rental tenants in the Iowa City, the University’s student government has advocated for these protections. Iowa City stands with USG in encouraging the State to pursue rental property move-in checklists. Support legislation protecting the rights of manufactured housing residents Recent sales of manufactured housing communities statewide and the resulting impact on those communities has led to discussions at both the state and local levels regarding how best to protect the rights of the families living in these communities. The City of Iowa City supports rights for the residents of manufactured housing which include: rent protections including a statewide cap on frequency and percentage of increases and lengthened notice periods for proposed increases, uniform good cause eviction statewide standards, fair fee regulations including standardized time frames for assessing late fees, and fair lease provisions and effective enforcement mechanisms to combat illegal provisions. Additionally, when manufactured housing communities are put up for sale, residents should be offered first right of purchase and be protected from premature eviction during pursuit of local ownership. If displacement is forced as a last resort, the owners profiting from the sale of the park must be required to provide fair relocation assistance. The City also encourages the State Resolution No. ___________ Page 4 to consider a tax credit program which incentivizes the transfer/sale of land to residents of the community, allowing them to build equity, and protects against “bad-actor” ownership. During the 2020 state legislative session, the City of Iowa City registered in support of H.F. 2351, which addressed many of these issues. Iowa City continues to support the protections for manufactured housing residents outlined in this bill and encourages the State to resurrect and adopt such legislation. Promote equitable access and affordability of high-speed, broadband internet, including sustainable investment in cities’ critical technological infrastructure High-speed broadband is a driving force behind the local and state economy and is an indicator of quality of life alongside minimum basic needs such as clean water and maintained roadways. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many inequities in availability and affordability of high- speed broadband internet access in cities across Iowa. It is critical that Iowans of all income levels are on a level playing field when it comes to broadband access, speed, choice, and cost. This will require the State to pursue significant investments in and sustainable funding for critical infrastructure, such as fiber, and next-generation technology which will drive education, employment, and basic human services. Iowa City encourages the State to take measures which will expand access to high-speed, affordable broadband in cities, specifically for low- and moderate-income Iowans in urban neighborhoods. Additionally, the City supports efforts which incentivize public-private partnerships and ensure reasonable local flexibility as communities work towards cost-effective, universal broadband access. Strategic plan objective: promote an inclusive & resilient economy throughout the city Support the continued excellence of the State’s primary, secondary, and higher education institutions and advocate for additional education funding Iowa’s primary and secondary schools are fundamental drivers of the State’s economic growth, standard of living, and future prosperity. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the decreased enrollment at primary and secondary schools would result in significant funding decreases based on the State’s existing per pupil finance formula. It is essential for the success of the State and our local communities that support for our schools is a top priority in the State’s budget and funding is responsive of COVID-19 impacts. The City also encourages the State to expand access, affordability, and quality of early childhood education and care. Specifically, the City supports increased reimbursement rates for Child Care Assistance (CCA) providers, to ensure families with parents who wish to enter the workforce can find and afford quality child care The University of Iowa plays a critical role in the supporting statewide economic, social, and cultural growth. It is important the State of Iowa provides the university the needed resources to ensure the university’s continued ability to facilitate growth opportunities in varied sectors of the business community. Likewise, community colleges play an important role in ensuring the continued competitiveness and inclusivity of the state’s economy. The City encourages the State Resolution No. ___________ Page 5 to carefully consider and support the legislative and financial priorities of the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College. Continue use of federal funding to support residents and businesses in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic Cities across Iowa are experiencing severe economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after aggressive spending cuts to operations and capital outlays, the revenue loss is of such magnitude that it limits cities’ abilities to provide basic assistance to local businesses and residents in responding to the pandemic. Direct and flexible funding allocations to cities are essential to ensuring local needs are addressed adequately through locally viable and effective solutions. Iowa City encourages the State to continue investing available CARES Act dollars and other federal funding in local municipalities to support Iowa residents and businesses in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategic plan objective: strengthen community engagement and intergovernmental relations Support the legislative efforts of the Iowa League of Cities and the Metro Coalition Iowa City, as a member of both organizations, supports the legislative priorities set forth by the Iowa League of Cities and by the Metropolitan Coalition for the 2021 session. Passed and approved this _________ day of _____________________, 20______. MAYOR Approved by ATTEST: ___________________________ ______________________________ CITY CLERK City Attorney's Office