HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6064

As Amended by the House

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators McDermott and Deccio)

Changing provisions relating to the local excise tax on lodgings.

House Committe on Ways & Means

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (18)

      Signed by Representatives Grimm, Chair, Bristow, Vice Chair; Allen, Basich, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Ebersole, Grant, Hine, Locke, Madsen, McMullen, Niemi, Peery, Sayan, Sprenkle and Winsley.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Fuhrman and Nealey.

House Staff:Rick Wickman (786-7150)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 16, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Cities and counties are allowed to levy a special excise tax of up to 2 percent on hotels and motels.  These tax revenues are to be used for constructing or operating stadium facilities, convention center facilities, performing arts center facilities, visual arts center facilities, or to pay for tourism promotion activities.

Revenues collected by the cities and counties imposing this tax are deducted from the state sales tax on hotels and motels within the city or county.  For example, in King County the state sales tax of 6.5 percent on hotels and motels is split 4.5 percent for the state and 2.0 percent for the county.

Counties are not allowed to impose this tax within cities that also impose the tax.  This is to prevent "double dipping."  However, if a county is using the tax for debt service on bonds sold prior to June 26, 1975, then that county may impose the tax countywide.  This occurs in two counties:  King and Yakima.  No city within these counties may impose the tax unless they are using the tax for debt service on bonds sold prior to June 26, 1975.  Bellevue and the city of Yakima fall into this category.

The Yakima County bonds will be paid off in the 1990s.  When the county tax revenue is no longer needed for debt service on these bonds, the county will no longer be allowed to levy the tax within cities that also impose the tax.

This local option 2 percent hotel/motel tax is separate and distinct from:  (1) the "Seattle Convention and Trade Center hotel/motel tax" at 5 percent in Seattle and 2 percent in the rest of King County for the convention center; (2) the optional Bellevue 3 percent hotel/motel tax for convention and trade facilities; and (3) the repealed optional 3 percent hotel/motel tax for cities with a population over 25,000 for convention and trade facilities.

SUMMARY:

In addition to paying debt service on bonds issued prior to June 26, 1975, non-AA counties may sell additional bonds and use any surplus tax revenues for county-owned facilities for agricultural promotion.  If the new bonds and surplus money are used in this manner, then the county can continue to levy the tax within all cities in the county.  Cities within the county are prohibited from imposing the tax unless the money is used to pay debt service on bonds sold prior to June 26, 1975.

Pierce County and the cities in Pierce County may levy an additional two percent hotel/motel tax and the revenues therefrom must be spent for visitor and convention promotion and development.  The additional tax is not a credit against the state sales tax.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Deborah Ogden, Tacoma Dome Hotel; Steve Dougherty, Tacoma Dome Hotel; Wanetta Ayers, Tacoma/Pierce County Visitor's Convention Bureau.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Pierce County and the City of Tacoma need additional hotel/motel tax authority to stimulated their visitor and convention and development activities.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.