HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 313

BYRepresentatives Zellinsky, Schmidt, Haugen and Hine

Reducing park district commission terms to four years.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (13)

     Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Beck, Bumgarner, Ferguson, Hine, Madsen, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley, Rayburn, L. Smith and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEBRUARY 5, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Park and recreation districts are special districts authorized to provide park and recreation facilities and services.  A district can impose annual regular property taxes of up to $.15 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for five consecutive years, if a ballot proposition authorizing the taxes is approved by a 60%/40% vote of district voters.

A park and recreation district is governed by an elected five-member board of commissioners, who serve for staggered six-year terms.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The terms of office for the commissioners of a park and recreation district are changed to four years instead of six years.  However, the initially elected commissioners serve shorter terms, as do three of the second set of five commissioners to establish staggered terms.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Previously deleted language relating to the creation of a park and recreation district was reinserted.

Fiscal Note:    Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Representative Zellinsky, Prime Sponsor, and Barry Morrisroe, Bainbridge Island Park and Recreation District.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     It is difficult to find people who are willing to serve for six years, especially when this is a volunteer position.  After six years, the commissioners tend to experience "burn-out".

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.