During its retreat on January 5th, Council reviewed its 2016 State and Federal legislative priorities and considered possibly adding new ones for 2017.  Under the heading of State Priorities Council affirmed its commitment to continue to advocate for local control and to preserve local funding. 

Additionally, individual council members discussed support for the following State legislative priority items:

• State enabling legislation for Property Accessed Clean Energy or PACE. 
• Advocate against further sweeps of the State Aviation Fund
• Advocate for legislation that supports our Community College system
• Advocate for funding to social service providers for the poor and other vulnerable populations including those with disabilities.
• Consider advocating for an increase to the gasoline tax to help support transportation funding
• Consider advocating for funding of the state Relocation Fund for mobile home owners who are displaced due to closure of their mobile home park
• Advocate for the creation of a Dark Skies specialty license plate
• Consider discussions with the League of Cities and Towns and other communities in Arizona about possibly repealing SB1070

Under the heading of Federal Legislative Priorities council discussed its continued advocacy for important community projects like the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project and the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project.  Additionally, individual council members expressed support for the following items:

• Advocacy for public housing and Section 8 Funding
• Consider advocating for an increase to the gasoline tax to help support transportation funding
• Consider advocacy for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and other federal immigration policies that help keep families together while supporting their higher education goals
• Consider advocating for legislation to reform the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) Exclusion

Under the heading of Tribal Priorities, council affirmed its support for strengthening partnerships and advancing mutual goals with the Native American Tribes.  Specifically, council expressed interest in increasing our engagement and improving our communications with Native Nations and all indigenous peoples living in our community. 

Council will have an opportunity to further discuss these priorities and others during the draft agenda review that will occur during the council work session on January 10th, 2017.  Staff will receive any further direction on this topic that council may wish to give and we will bring back a final draft of the City of Flagstaff 2017 Intergovernmental Relations and Legislative Priorities  for your consideration and possible adoption at the council meeting on January 17th 2017. 

COUNCIL GOALS:
1) Invest in our employees and implement retention and attraction strategies
2) Ensure Flagstaff has a long-term water supply for current and future needs
3) Provide sustainable and equitable public facilities, services, and infrastructure systems in an efficient and effective manner to serve all population areas and demographics
4) Explore and adopt policies to lower the costs associated with housing to the end user
5) Develop and implement guiding principles that address public safety service levels through appropriate staffing levels
6) Relieve traffic congestion throughout Flagstaff
7) Address key issues and processes related to the implementation of the Regional Plan
8) Improve effectiveness of notification, communication, and engagement with residents, neighborhoods and businesses and about City services, programs, policies, projects and developments
9) Foster relationships and maintain economic development commitment to partners
10) Decrease the number of working poor
11) Ensure that we are as prepared as possible for extreme weather events