S-886                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3857

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators Bottiger, Newhouse, Vognild, Lee, Zimmerman and Patterson

Read first time 2/7/85 and referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

AN ACT Relating to property tax levies for emergency medical care and services; amending RCW 29.30.111; and adding a new section to chapter 84.52 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 84.52 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) As used in this section, "taxing district" means a county, emergency medical service district, city or town, public hospital district, or fire protection district.

          (2) A taxing district may impose additional regular property tax levies in an amount equal to fifteen cents or less per thousand dollars of the assessed value of property in the taxing district in each year for six consecutive years when specifically authorized so to do by a majority of at least three-fifths of the electors thereof approving a proposition authorizing the levies submitted at a general or special election, at which election the number of persons voting "yes" on the proposition shall constitute three-fifths of a number equal to forty per centum of the total votes cast in such taxing district at the last preceding general election when the number of electors voting on the proposition does not exceed forty per centum of the total votes cast in such taxing district in the last preceding general election; or by a majority of at least three-fifths of the electors thereof voting on the proposition when the number of electors voting on the proposition exceeds forty per centum of the total votes cast in such taxing district in the last preceding general election.  Ballot propositions under this section shall conform with RCW 29.30.111 and shall be separate from any ballot proposition under RCW 84.52.069.

          (3) Any tax imposed under this section shall be used only for the provision of emergency medical care or emergency medical services, including related personnel costs, training for such personnel, and related equipment, supplies, vehicles and structures needed for the provision of emergency medical care or emergency medical services.

          (4) If a county levies a tax under this section or RCW 84.52.069, no taxing district within the county may levy a tax under this section.  No other taxing district may levy a tax under this section  if another taxing district has levied a tax under this section or RCW 84.52.069 within its boundaries:  PROVIDED, That if a taxing district within a county levies this tax, and the voters of the county subsequently approve a levying of this tax, then the tax levy for emergency medical services shall cease being levied in the taxing district originally levying it and shall be replaced with the county-wide levy.  Whenever a tax is levied county-wide, the service shall, insofar as is feasible, be provided throughout the county:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That no county-wide levy proposal may be placed on the ballot without the approval of the legislative authority of each city exceeding fifty thousand population within the county:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That this section and RCW 36.32.480 shall not prohibit any city or town from levying an annual excess levy to fund emergency medical services.

          (5) The tax levy authorized in this section is in addition to the tax levies authorized in RCW 84.52.043 and 84.52.069.

          (6) The limitation in RCW 84.55.010 shall not apply to the first levy imposed pursuant to this section following the approval of such levy by the voters pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

          (7) If any levy under this section results in taxes in excess of the one percent limitation provided in Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution when combined with other regular property taxes, the property tax levy under this section shall be reduced or eliminated before the other regular property taxes are reduced.

        Sec. 2.  Section 3, chapter 131, Laws of 1984 and RCW 29.30.111 are each amended to read as follows:

          The ballot proposition authorizing a taxing district to impose the regular property tax levies authorized in RCW 36.69.145, 67.38.130, ((or)) 84.52.069, or section 1 of this 1985 act shall contain in substance the following:

          "Shall the !sc.,5 (insert the name of the taxing district) be authorized to impose regular property tax levies of .......... (insert the maximum rate) or less per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for each of .......... (insert the maximum number of years allowable) consecutive years?

          Yes!sc.,10¨

          No!sc ,1!sc.,10¨"

Each voter shall indicate either "Yes" or "No" on his or her ballot in accordance with the procedures established under this title.