The Yakima City Council meets tonight at city hall as it prepares for the upcoming legislative session. For the first time this year the city will have a lobbyist in Olympia hired to fight for specific city interests. Mayor Micah Cawley says the lobbyist, Jim Justin, signed a fifty thousand dollar contract with the city last year. His top priorities include gaining state support for two major redevelopment projects; the former mill site along I-82 and work on North First Street. Justin will also be pushing for support for new gain legislation to help curb gang violence and put more gang members in jail. The 2013 Legislative Session begins Jan. 14th.

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