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MRSC Insight Blog

Recent Posts

IPD Set to Exceed 1% for Setting 2020 Property Taxes

September 10, 2019 by Toni Nelson
Category:

The rate of inflation on the implicit price deflator for personal consumption expenditures over the past 12 months is 1.396%, meaning local governments may levy the full 1% increase or bank it for future use.

New Ruling Addresses the Extent of the "Public Records" Definition

September 5, 2019 by Flannary Collins
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Public Records Act

A new decision from the Washington State Supreme Court addresses the extent of the “Public Records” definition, which now provides more clarity for local governments.

Key Takeaways from the AWC Budget and Finance Management Workshop

September 4, 2019 by Mike Bailey
Category: Budgets and Budgeting , Financial Management

This blog covers some key financial management takeaways from the 2019 Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Budgeting and Financial Management Workshop.

Election Season Has Arrived - Here's How to Do the Right Thing

September 3, 2019 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Elections

The election season has arrived in Washington State, and with it, many questions on what is and is not legal during campaigns. This blog post reviews a host of topics, from the prohibition on the use of public resources to where (and how) to hold candidate forums.

Don’t Get into Back-and-Forth Exchanges During Public Comment

August 29, 2019 by Ann G. Macfarlane
Category: Legislative Body , Council-Commission Advisor

The public comment period of a public meeting can be a great time to hear from constituents and to be heard. However, these meetings should not devolve into back-and-forth exchanges between elected officials and their constituents.

Electronic Vendor Fraud: How to Protect your Agency from the Latest Cybercrimes

August 26, 2019 by Laura Crandall
Category: Cybersecurity

Ransomware, phishing schemes, and plain old hacking are just a few of the cybersecurity issues that local governments must contend with now. This blog covers the most recent electronic vendor fraud cases and the steps that your agency can take to protect itself against this type of fraud.

Rights and Limits on Filming in Public Facilities

August 23, 2019 by Aidan Mathis
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions

This blog post looks at "1st Amendment Audits, " the rights of individuals to film in public spaces, and how local governments can legally respond.

Scooter Legislation Passes, Sets Stage for Statewide Expansion

August 19, 2019 by Leah LaCivita
Category: Cycling and Walking , New Legislation and Regulations

This blog post looks at ESHB 1772, which amended state regulations regarding “motorized foot scooters,” as well as the status of pilot and established electronic scooter share programs in Washington.

Recent PRA Developments — Dog Days of Summer Edition

August 16, 2019 by Oskar Rey
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Public Records Act

This blog article covers a recent Attorney General opinion and a Washington Court of Appeals case, both of which address the Public Records Act.

Ballot Measure Results from the 2019 Primary Election

August 13, 2019 by Steve Hawley
Category: Elections , Fire Protection , Emergency Medical Services , Sales and Use Taxes

Senior Communications Coordinator Steve Hawley reviews some ballot measure results from the recent primary election in this blog post.

2019 Legislative Outcomes for Procurement and Contracting - Part 3: SHB 1295

August 7, 2019 by Judy Isaac
Category: Purchasing and Contracting , New Legislation and Regulations

As part of a series on 2019 legislation that impacts municipal contracting and procurement, this blog post provides an overview of SHB 1295, which makes procedural revisions to the alternate public works contracting methods of Design Build and Job-Order Contracting.

HB 1696: Updating Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act

August 5, 2019 by Summit Law Group
Category: Compensation , New Legislation and Regulations

HB 1696 updates Washington’s existing Equal Pay and Opportunities Act by requiring more transparency on pay ranges and by prohibiting employers from asking for an applicant’s wage history.

Warning: Summer Heat, Enclosed Pets, and Animal Fighting

August 1, 2019 by Paul Sullivan
Category: Animal Control

With its long days and hot temperatures, summer is a great time to remember that pets should not be left unattended in enclosed vehicles. This blog post also reviews 2019 legislation prohibiting animal fighting.

2020 Budget Suggestions is Here!

July 29, 2019 by Toni Nelson
Category: Budgets and Budgeting

MRSC has just published our annual 2020 Budget Suggestions publication for cities and counties. We’ve combed through state population and economic data, as well as the state operating budget and new legislation, in order to make your jobs a little bit easier.

New Bill Provides Incentives for Washington Cities to Increase Residential Capacity

July 26, 2019 by Steve Butler
Category: Housing , New Legislation and Regulations , Development Regulations and Zoning

This past legislative session saw the passage E2SHB 1923, a bill intended to encourage more residential development capacity and increase local governments’ emphasis on affordable housing.

New Workplace Protections for Washington Public Employees

July 22, 2019 by Sarah Doar
Category: Recruitment and Hiring , New Legislation and Regulations

With recent changes in statutes and caselaw, now is a good time for Washington State public employers to review their personnel policies and ensure that they are up to date.

2019 Legislative Outcomes for Procurement and Contracting - Part 2

July 19, 2019 by Judy Isaac
Category: Purchasing and Contracting , New Legislation and Regulations

In Part 2 of this series covering new bills impacting local government procurement and contracting, this blog post covers ESSB 5418, ESB 5958, ESSB 5035, and SSB 5017.

SHB 1406: Understanding the Affordable Housing Sales Tax Credit

July 17, 2019 by Toni Nelson
Category: Housing , New Legislation and Regulations , Sales and Use Taxes

SHB 1406 will provide a new affordable housing revenue stream for those counties, cities, and towns that choose to participate; But to do so, those entities must act fast.

2019 Legislative Outcomes for Procurement and Contracting - Part I: ESSB 5418

July 10, 2019 by Judy Isaac
Category: Purchasing and Contracting , New Legislation and Regulations

This post provides details for ESSB 5418, a complicated bill from the 2019 Legislative Session that impacts unit-price contracts, bid thresholds, and other topics involving municipal procurement.

Financial Policies: Travel, Expense Reimbursement, Credit Cards, and More

July 8, 2019 by Mike Bailey
Category: Accounting , Financial Management

MRSC has partnered with the State Auditor’s Office (SAO) Center for Government Innovation to expand the Financial Policies Tool Kit we first launched two years ago. This blog post covers some of the highlights.