AGENCY RECOMMENDATION SUMMARY
AGENCY RECOMMENDATION SUMMARY:
Funding is requested to support the
activities of the Policy Consensus Center (PCC). The PCC is a joint program of
Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Washington (UW)
dedicated to assisting government, tribal, business, agricultural,
environmental, and other community leaders to work together to resolve disputes
and build consensus around difficult public policy issues. The center's
activities focus on three major areas: 1) providing an objective forum and
assistance with conflict resolution or policy enhancement; 2) building
capacities through assessment, training, and consulting that broaden
stakeholders' perspectives, thus improving their abilities to work together; 3)
researching and disseminating best practices in conflict resolution and policy
problem solving, and mechanisms to close the gaps between science and policy.
|
|
2007-08 |
|
2008-09 |
|
2007-09 |
|
|
FTE |
Dollars |
|
FTE |
Dollars |
|
Biennium |
|
General Fund
State |
3.0
|
200,000
|
|
3.0
|
200,000
|
|
400,000
|
|
Total |
3.0
|
$200,000
|
|
3.0
|
$200,000 |
|
$400,000 |
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION:
The mission of the PCC is to act as a
neutral resource for collaborative problem-solving in the region. The Center is
a joint effort of Washington State University and the University of Washington
and was developed in response to requests from community leaders. In addition,
the Center helps advance the teaching, curriculum, and research missions of the
two universities by bringing real-world policy issues to campus.
The Center has offices at WSU and UW. It
is overseen by an advisory board chaired by William Ruckelshaus and composed of
local and state leaders representing a broad range of constituencies and
geographic locations in the region. Funding for the Center is sought from a
wide-range of sources, including foundations, corporations, individuals,
agencies, other state and federal sources, and fees for services when
appropriate.
Funding is requested in the 2007-09
biennium to give people greater access to the resources of the Center. New
funding will assist in those situations where other sources of funding are not
available. These resources will allow the Center to:
-
Provide assistance to stakeholder
groups and communities that cannot afford to pay for services.
-
Perform assessments for groups and
communities on the potential of Center involvement without charging a fee.
-
Engage earlier disputes to increase
the chance of resolution.
-
Maintain the continuity of services
offered by the Center.
-
Invest in research on emerging policy
issues.
Seven projects have been completed to
date on some of the most contentious issues in the state, including: water
resource policy, watershed restoration, salmon regulatory reform, and workers
compensation. Work on a number of new projects is currently underway. Some
examples of the role of the PCC and its impact on resolving complex policy
issues include:
1. Water Resources Administration and
Funding Task Force:
In 2004, the legislature established a
Task Force charged with recommending ways to fund the state's water resource
programs. Some of the questions before the task force included: Are Washington
State's water management programs a public good that should be paid for by all?
Or, do some of these programs benefit specific groups who should pay the costs
of those services?
Center Contribution: With the assistance
of university faculty, the Center provided facilitation, logistics, information
gathering, and report drafting support to the Task Force. Issues such as
concerns over the validity of data, the allocation of program resources, and
others that had been contentious and blocked progress were examined and largely
resolved. Focusing on some of the remaining issues, the Task Force submitted a
consensus report to the Governor and Legislature that assembled valuable
budgetary and program information regarding state water resources programs and
presented broadly acknowledged findings and guidelines upon which to base future
policy decisions.
Impact and Implications: The Task Force
process established a common knowledge base regarding costs, operations and
sources of funding for the state's water resource programs. The consensus
report advanced many important water policy and funding issues and removed
questions about major aspects about the Department of Ecology's performance. It
contributed to increased budgetary support for the agency and led to changes in
long-debated water policies.
2. Northwest Straits Marine Conservation
Initiative: A Five-Year Evaluation:
The Northwest Straits Initiative was born
out of conflict. In the 1980s, hundreds of people crowded into public hearings
to argue for or against the establishment of a National Marine Sanctuary in
northern Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. When that effort was
abandoned, a collaborative process gave rise to the Northwest Straits
Initiative. Today, many of the supporters and opponents of the failed National
Marine Sanctuary proposal are now solidly behind this citizen-led collaborative
effort to protect and restore this important marine ecosystem.
Center Contribution: The Center
assembled an independent evaluation panel to conduct a congressionally mandated
evaluation of the Initiative. Center staff identified highly qualified panel
members from throughout the nation, conducted interviews, a survey and a
literature review, designed and organized hearings, and provided report writing
support on behalf of the evaluators.
Impact and Implications: The panel's
report recommended that Congress reauthorize the Initiative. It included
specific recommendations on how to advance the Initiative's mandate to protect
the marine waters of the Northwest Straits. The Northwest Straits Commission has
undertaken implementation of the recommendations suggested by the evaluation
panel. Congress has since reauthorized the Commission and almost doubled its
budget. Grants have been awarded for specific programs based on the evaluation
results.
NARRATIVE JUSTIFICATION AND IMPACT STATEMENT:
Reason for
change:
The PCC has been
successful in resolving policy differences on contentious state issues through
collaboration. Additional funding will enable stakeholder groups and
communities to directly utilize the Center's conflict resolution resources and
enable the center to find common ground on additional issues.
Impact on clients
and services:
The PCC brings
real-world policy issues to the WSU and UW campuses -- advancing the
universities' research, public service, and teaching missions. The educational
experience of undergraduate and graduate students is enhanced when they have the
opportunity to participate in research projects. The PCC also acts as a conduit
between the universities and citizens and policymakers that are dealing with
significant public policy concerns.
Impact on other
state programs:
None.
Relationship to
capital budget:
None.
Required changes
to existing RCW, WAC, contract or plan:
None.
Alternatives explored by agency:
To the extent
possible, funding for the Center will continue to be sought from foundations,
corporations, individuals, agencies, other state and federal sources, and fees
for services when appropriate.
Budget impacts in
future biennia:
Costs associated
with this proposal would continue in future biennia.
Distinction
between one-time and on-going costs:
All costs are
on-going.
Effects of
non-funding:
Without additional
resources, access to the benefits and resources of the Center will be limited.
Expenditure
calculations and assumptions:
Funding supports 3.0
FTEs and related operating costs.
|
FISCAL DETAIL TABLES - POLICY
CONSENSUS CENTER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007-08 |
|
2008-09 |
|
2007-09 |
|
By
Program |
FTE |
Dollars |
|
FTE |
Dollars |
|
Biennium |
|
Public
Service |
3.0
|
200,000
|
|
3.0
|
200,000
|
|
400,000
|
|
Total |
3.0
|
$200,000 |
|
3.0
|
$200,000 |
|
$400,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007-08 |
|
2008-09 |
|
2007-09 |
|
By Object |
FTE |
Dollars |
|
FTE |
Dollars |
|
Biennium |
|
Salaries/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Faculty |
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
A/P |
3.0
|
134,000
|
|
3.0
|
134,000
|
|
268,000
|
|
TA/GA |
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
Classified |
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
Benefits |
|
39,000
|
|
|
39,000
|
|
78,000
|
|
Goods &
Services |
|
22,000
|
|
|
22,000
|
|
44,000
|
|
Travel |
|
5,000
|
|
|
5,000
|
|
10,000
|
|
Equipment |
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
Total |
3.0
|
$ 200,000
|
|
3.0
|
$200,000 |
|
$400,000 |
