SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 2371

             AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS,

                               FEBRUARY 24, 1992

Brief Description:  Modifying special assessment authority of conservation districts.

SPONSORS: Representatives Kremen, Nealey, R. Johnson, Haugen, Rayburn, Rasmussen, Spanel, Grant and Braddock

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Madsen, and Sutherland.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

Hearing Dates: February 24, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Conservation districts are special districts authorized to engage in a variety of resource conservation activities, including the conservation of soil and water.

The county legislative authority of the county in which a conservation district is located may impose a system of special assessments on land within the conservation district to finance the district's activities.  The county must hold a public hearing on the proposed special assessments and must find that the public interest will be served and the special assessments will not exceed the special benefit the land receives or will receive from the activities of the conservation district before it can impose the assessments.  The action of a county legislative authority authorizes a system of special assessments to be imposed for only one year.

Special assessments are stated as either a uniform annual per acre amount or both a flat rate per parcel plus a uniform annual per acre amount.

SUMMARY:

The period of time over which a county legislative authority may impose special assessments for a conservation district is expanded from one year to up to 10 years.  If the county authorizes a system of special assessments for more than one year, the actual special assessment that is imposed on a parcel of land may vary each year in accordance with the system of measuring the special assessments.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Conservation districts need a stable source of revenue.  We do technical projects that people need.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Jackie Reid, Thurston Conservation District; Dan Coyne, Washington State Dairy Federation; Jay Gordon, Jean Leonard, Washington Association of Conservation Districts