When Pacific Northwest public sector agencies and cities seek to finance infrastructure projects, they count on Alice Ostdiek to develop rock-solid strategies that accomplish their goals, anticipate legal challenges and overcome obstacles. For nearly 20 years, Alice has employed her knowledge of contracting, tax and securities laws to help state and local government entities and financial institutions finance and structure major utility, transportation and redevelopment projects that have transformed cities across Washington state.
Alice counts the City of Seattle and the State of Washington among the clients who depend on her as a highly engaged advisor with a unique understanding of the state constitutional issues they often face. Her close involvement in new and developing legislation allows her clients to anticipate changes that could impact the trajectory of their projects. When navigating the political aspects of a public project, she stays focused on her clients’ objectives so that she can assess viable courses of action, negotiate on their behalf and craft strategies that accomplish their goals.
An outdoor and climbing enthusiast, Alice’s deep affinity for the Pacific Northwest is evident in each matter she handles. That love of the outdoors enhances her appreciation for the area’s geography and diversity. It feeds her passion for helping develop and improve sustainable communities and infrastructure that support residents with increased access to critical resources long into the future.
Some highlights of her career include the following matters:
While acting as bond counsel to the City of Seattle, Alice played a key role in financings that helped transform Seattle’s downtown, Pike Place Market, and waterfront. Over the past 10 years, the legal advice Alice and her team have provided has informed the complete reconstruction of Seattle’s seawall and the associated redevelopment of the waterfront after replacement of Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel.
Alice and her team serve as disclosure counsel to the State of Washington and have assisted the state in updating its initial and continuing disclosure procedures, developing strategies for compliance with recent Rule 15c2-12 amendments, and conducting annual training sessions for state officials involved with disclosure. Her team works closely with the State Treasurer’s Office to prepare primary disclosure documents on over $1 billion of municipal bonds per year for this client.
Alice assisted the City of Seattle in a public-private partnership to finance a major renovation and expansion of the Seattle Art Museum in 2007. Due to the complex structuring of various debt guarantees, the transaction successfully weathered the financial crisis that began in 2008 without requiring public taxpayer support and resulted in a major upgrade to the public institution.
Alice assisted the Washington State Housing Finance Commission in establishing the state’s Sustainable Energy Trust to leverage creative financing strategies for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements throughout the state. Since its inception in 2009, the program has a special emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency financings for multifamily housing projects and small businesses.
Alice assisted the Bainbridge Island Park & Recreation District in transitioning to a Metropolitan Park District as a revenue strategy to ensure stable and sufficient property tax funding for its programs and services. More recently, she assisted the City of Seattle in forming the Seattle Metropolitan Park District with similar goals in mind.
Throughout her career, Alice has advised local government clients on the effects of statewide and local ballot measures while assisting local governments in assessing their impact on local finances. From the property tax “101% levy lid” initiatives to the most recent car tab initiatives, she has advised clients on impacts, developed litigation strategies to challenge the measures and crafted other practical responses. Based on her in-depth knowledge of ballot measures and the state’s complex property tax system, she has assisted clients across the state in seeking voter-approved tax resources.
Alice counts the City of Seattle and the State of Washington among the clients who depend on her as a highly engaged advisor with a unique understanding of the state constitutional issues they often face. Her close involvement in new and developing legislation allows her clients to anticipate changes that could impact the trajectory of their projects. When navigating the political aspects of a public project, she stays focused on her clients’ objectives so that she can assess viable courses of action, negotiate on their behalf and craft strategies that accomplish their goals.
An outdoor and climbing enthusiast, Alice’s deep affinity for the Pacific Northwest is evident in each matter she handles. That love of the outdoors enhances her appreciation for the area’s geography and diversity. It feeds her passion for helping develop and improve sustainable communities and infrastructure that support residents with increased access to critical resources long into the future.
Some highlights of her career include the following matters:
While acting as bond counsel to the City of Seattle, Alice played a key role in financings that helped transform Seattle’s downtown, Pike Place Market, and waterfront. Over the past 10 years, the legal advice Alice and her team have provided has informed the complete reconstruction of Seattle’s seawall and the associated redevelopment of the waterfront after replacement of Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel.
Alice and her team serve as disclosure counsel to the State of Washington and have assisted the state in updating its initial and continuing disclosure procedures, developing strategies for compliance with recent Rule 15c2-12 amendments, and conducting annual training sessions for state officials involved with disclosure. Her team works closely with the State Treasurer’s Office to prepare primary disclosure documents on over $1 billion of municipal bonds per year for this client.
Alice assisted the City of Seattle in a public-private partnership to finance a major renovation and expansion of the Seattle Art Museum in 2007. Due to the complex structuring of various debt guarantees, the transaction successfully weathered the financial crisis that began in 2008 without requiring public taxpayer support and resulted in a major upgrade to the public institution.
Alice assisted the Washington State Housing Finance Commission in establishing the state’s Sustainable Energy Trust to leverage creative financing strategies for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements throughout the state. Since its inception in 2009, the program has a special emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency financings for multifamily housing projects and small businesses.
Alice assisted the Bainbridge Island Park & Recreation District in transitioning to a Metropolitan Park District as a revenue strategy to ensure stable and sufficient property tax funding for its programs and services. More recently, she assisted the City of Seattle in forming the Seattle Metropolitan Park District with similar goals in mind.
Throughout her career, Alice has advised local government clients on the effects of statewide and local ballot measures while assisting local governments in assessing their impact on local finances. From the property tax “101% levy lid” initiatives to the most recent car tab initiatives, she has advised clients on impacts, developed litigation strategies to challenge the measures and crafted other practical responses. Based on her in-depth knowledge of ballot measures and the state’s complex property tax system, she has assisted clients across the state in seeking voter-approved tax resources.