The Mountlake Terrace City Council will review the Proposed 2015 Property Tax Ordinance at its Nov. 13 work/study session as part of the 2015-2016 Biennial Budget process.
The Council also is scheduled to hear a presentation from Bothell City Manager Bob Stowe on his City’s efforts to transform the downtown into a mixed use community.
A review of the Public Defender Case Weighting Standards Resolution is scheduled. In 2011 the Washington State Supreme Court adopted standards for public defenders, including an expectation on the maximum number of cases a public defender would handle within a year and providing for overhead costs such as office space and the services of an investigator as needed.
In 2012 the City Council adopted Resolution No. 719 putting the State’s public defender standards into policy and calling for the following:
– Conducting a complete review of standards for indigent defense;
– Incorporating those standards into the city’s public defense contract; and
– Providing for each public defender providing services to the city to meet such standards.
In addition to the three items above, Resolution No. 719 also for the City Manager to begin the analysis to implement the second phase of the State’s public defender standards by September 2013: case weighting.
“Case weighting” involves setting limits on the number of cases a public defender handles annually in order to ensure individuals charged with a crime have adequate representation. In other words, limits are to be set to ensure that public defenders were not spread too thin in their representation of clients.
A public hearing and consideration of the revenue sources including the General Operating Levy Resolution, Emergency Medical Services Levy Resolution and the 2015 Property Tax Ordinance are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 17. The City Council will also consider the 2015-16 Biennial Budget Ordinance.
Both meetings begin at 7 p.m. at the Interim City Council Chambers at 6100 219th Street SW, Suite 220.
More budget information is available on the city’s website at www.cityofmlt.com under “Most Requested Services” then Online Public Meetings or by calling Sonja Springer, Finance Director at 425-744-6204.
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