TagPort Of Seattle Commission(374)

This January 2019 Port of Seattle Commission briefing outlines the agency's local and regional government policy priorities for 2019, covering areas such as climate and sustainability, regional transportation, workforce development, maritime projects, and aviation. On the airport side, key priorities include advancing the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) near-term projects to address regional demand, and engaging surrounding South King County communities through forums like the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART). The document reflects the Port's broader effort to balance airport growth with community concerns, economic opportunity, and environmental responsibility.

The Port of Seattle's Capital Improvement Projects Third Quarter Report for 2018 provides a public update on the status of the Port's capital projects, covering an planned investment of $895.1 million to expand and upgrade marine and aviation infrastructure. The report details project schedules, budgets, change orders, and risks across a range of project types, including construction, noise mitigation, and technology initiatives. Approximately 2 percent of the capital budget is funded by a King County property tax levy, which is directed in part toward environmental and noise mitigation projects.

The Port of Seattle's Capital Improvement Projects Third Quarter Report for 2018 provides a status update on 100 active capital projects managed by the Construction and Development Division (CDD) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) department. Of those projects, 47 were on or ahead of schedule and budget, while 53 faced schedule or budget challenges, including 13 new reportable variances identified during the quarter. The report tracks project performance trends across multiple quarters, noting two new projects moved to critical (red) status and ten additional projects raised concerns (amber) in Q3 2018.

In December 2018, the Port of Seattle Commission reviewed its draft state legislative priorities for the 2019 session, covering topics such as clean fuels standards, workforce development, and transportation access to Sea-Tac Airport. The agenda sought state funding for transportation infrastructure improvements, including potential upgrades to State Route 518 and the Puget Sound Gateway Program, to address growing demand linked to airport expansion. Additional priorities included supporting small and minority-owned businesses, maritime innovation, and land use policies affecting port competitiveness.

The Port of Seattle presented its 2019 State Legislative Agenda for final Commission adoption on December 11, 2018, outlining three priority areas: workforce development in maritime and industrial sectors, transportation access improvements to Sea-Tac Airport (including upgrades to State Route 518 and the Puget Sound Gateway program), and a Clean Fuels Standard to reduce emissions from port operations. The agenda reflects feedback gathered from subject matter experts, commissioners, and executive staff following an initial November 27, 2018 presentation. The overarching focus of the legislative priorities is reducing emissions, growing jobs, and increasing opportunities in the region.

The Port of Seattle's 2019 Federal Legislative Agenda outlines key policy priorities for both aviation and maritime operations, including efforts to address aircraft noise impacts on communities near Sea-Tac Airport. The agenda calls for increased FAA engagement with affected neighborhoods, expedited hiring of a regional noise ombudsman, and participation in a federally funded study examining the health impacts of overflight noise on Seattle-area residents. Additional aviation priorities include raising the federal Passenger Facility Charge cap, improving airport security screening, and expanding sustainable aviation fuel programs.

This December 2018 Port of Seattle Commission presentation outlines the Port's federal legislative priorities for 2019, covering port-wide, aviation, and maritime issues. Key priorities include advocating for welcoming immigration policies for local immigrants and refugees, as well as strategic trade engagement to ensure tariffs and quotas are used only as a last resort. The agenda was presented for Commission adoption with plans to engage Congress and the Administration to advance these goals.

The Port of Seattle's Tourism Marketing Grant Program, presented at the December 11, 2018 commission meeting, outlines the fourth year of a partnership initiative aimed at advancing statewide tourism and promoting use of Port facilities across Washington. The program has built partnerships with 26 organizations spanning King County, Eastern Washington, the Olympic Peninsula, and Western Washington, generating visitor interest and travel throughout the state. Smaller tourism organizations have been noted as particularly appreciative of the program's support.

The Port of Seattle Commission approved Resolution No. 3755 on December 11, 2018, authorizing a property tax levy of $74,160,000 for the 2019 calendar year. This represents a 3.0 percent increase of $2,160,000 from the 2018 levy of $72,000,000, at a rate of approximately $0.1232 per thousand of assessed value. Excluding new construction and refunds, the effective increase for tax filing purposes was $419,783, or 0.583 percent.

In December 2018, the Port of Seattle Commission voted to increase its annual property tax levy by 3 percent, raising it from $72,000,000 to $74,160,000 for the 2019 fiscal year, a difference of $2,160,000. The increase was required to be formally documented under Washington State law (RCW 84.55.120) through a separate resolution specifying both the dollar amount and percentage change. The Commission had previously approved the levy increase as part of its broader 2019 budget adoption in November 2018.