Advocacy Update: AIA Endorsement of I-732, Action on Transit, Living Buildings, and More
AIA Seattle is advocating on behalf of our members on local issues that impact our members and our city. Advocacy efforts are led by our members through our Public Policy Board (PPB), and draw on our members' expertise to impact key policies and legislation at local and state levels.
Why AIA Seattle Endorses Initiative 732
The AIA Seattle Board of Directors has voted to endorse Washington Initiative 732, a plan to tax carbon emissions at their source over the next 40 years. We encourage AIA Seattle members to vote “yes” in November on this important initiative.
Initiative 732 encourages clean energy solutions by shifting the tax burden onto carbon pollution using, charging $25 per ton tax on carbon pollution from fossil fuels, and offsetting that increased tax through a sales tax reduction, a tax rebate for low income working families, and virtual elimination of the B&O tax on manufacturing.
Carbon pricing is the single most effective strategy available to reduce carbon emissions. I-732 is a credible and generally sound policy, grounded in lessons learned from other carbon-pricing efforts, to put Washington on a path to carbon reduction. While not perfect, action has to start somewhere, and I-732 is well-written and realistic, and is likely to be our only opportunity to implement carbon pricing for many years.
I-732 helps the environment, but it also helps architects. Increasing the price of carbon emissions will send price signals to help our clients decide to invest in high performing buildings. It will create demand for the unique design skills and solutions architects bring to the table. It will spur development of local green businesses to meet new demand for low-carbon building products and strategies. And it will reduce sales tax on construction costs by 1%, saving the industry around $190million annually in taxes.
To learn more, read AIA Seattle’s endorsement and talking points. For more in-depth information, visit Carbon Washington, and read the excellent analysis recently published by Sightline. If you would like to donate or volunteer, Carbon Washington would welcome your support.
Sound Transit 3 Endorsement
AIA Seattle has endorsed ST3, which will be on your November ballot as Proposition 1, and encourages members to vote yes. Investments funded by ST3 would greatly expand transit coverage for our region, with payoffs for livability, mobility and the environment. AIA Seattle recognizes that planning and design that integrates transportation, housing, and land-use policies at the regional scale is a prerequisite to the creation of safe, attractive, walkable, and sustainable communities. Our growing region cannot afford to wait to make these vital transit investments.
Living Building Pilot Program Update
UPDATE: Council Bill 118783 was passed on October 7, 2016.
Representatives from AIA Seattle have joined others from the design community in recent testimony before Seattle City Council to support an update of the Living Building Pilot Program. Council Bill 118783 passed the Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee on September 20, and will be considered by full Council on October 3.
Encampment Ordinance
UPDATE: Council Bill 117791 is still currently under consideration.
Seattle City Council is considering an ordinance, Council Bill 117791, to permit transitional encampments for homeless individuals as an interim use on City-owned or private property. In addition, Mayor Murray has appointed an Unsanctioned Encampments Cleanup Protocols Task Force with a goal of presenting alternative legislation on new encampment protocols to Council by the end of September.
