Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Attorney’s Office

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
FROM:	Toni Wheeler, City Attorney
DATE:	December 4, 2015
RE:	2016 State Legislative Priority Statement

Background

The City Commission annually approves a Legislative Priority Statement to share with our State legislative delegation.  Attached please find the League of Kansas Municipalities 2016 Statement of Municipal Policy.  On November 10, 2015, the commission reviewed the league statement and provided input on issues to include in this year’s document.  Items mentioned during commission discussion on November 10 included:

• Support for the Property Assessed Clean Energy Legislation – PACE
• Continued support for renewable energy, Amtrak and light rail initiatives
• Opposition or repeal of the 2015 tax lid legislation
• Opposition to the transfer of KDOT or T-Works funds to the State of Kansas general fund
• Opposition to the transfer of funds from the Children’s Initiative Fund
• Support of higher education and K-12 funding. Opposition to the 2015 block grant for K-12 funding.
• Inclusion of Mental Health issues
• Renewed support for State funding for the arts
• Public safety issues related to the exemption period regarding handguns in public buildings
• Exempting food sales from sales tax collections

The above items are now included in the attached draft of the City’s 2016 Legislative Statement. The Commission also encouraged City management staff to provide input.  The City Management team reviewed and commented on the attached draft.

The Commission should determine which issues it wants to highlight or change in this document.  It should be noted that if an exemption on taxation of food sales were to pass, it would have a significant economic impact on City of Lawrence revenue – revenue that would have to be made up from other sources. The City’s Finance Department estimates that in 2016, approximately $5.6 million dollars will be generated in sales tax revenue from food sales in Lawrence (sales tax memo).  From time to time, the City Commission also may direct staff to write letters to legislators in support or in opposition to pending state legislation.

Action

Finalize and adopt content of the City’s 2016 Legislative Priority Statement and direct staff to prepare a final document for distribution.