BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to tax equalization for transit systems imposing a utility tax; and amending RCW 82.14.046.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 82.14.046 and 1994 c 241 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

Beginning with distributions made to municipalities under RCW 82.44.150 on January 1, 1996, municipalities as defined in RCW 35.58.272 imposing local transit taxes, which for purposes of this section include the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.045, the business and occupation tax under RCW 35.95.040, and excise taxes under RCW 35.95.040, shall be eligible for sales and use tax equalization payments from motor vehicle excise taxes distributed under RCW 82.44.150 as follows:

(1) Prior to January 1st of each year the department of revenue shall determine the total and the per capita levels of revenues for each municipality imposing ((~~the sales and use tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit taxes and the state-wide weighted average per capita level of sales and use tax revenues imposed under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW for the previous calendar year calculated for a sales and use tax rate of one-tenth percent. For purposes of this section, the department of revenue shall determine a local transit tax rate for each municipality for the previous calendar year. The tax rate shall be equivalent to the sales and use tax rate for the municipality that would have generated an amount of revenue equal to the amount of local transit taxes collected by the municipality.

(2) For each tenth of one percent of ((~~sales and use tax imposed under RCW 82.14.045~~)) the local transit tax rate, the state treasurer shall apportion to each municipality receiving less than eighty percent of the state-wide weighted average per capita level of sales and use tax revenues imposed under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW as determined by the department of revenue under subsection (1) of this section, an amount when added to the per capita level of revenues received the previous calendar year by the municipality, to equal eighty percent of the state-wide weighted average per capita level of revenues determined under subsection (1) of this section. In no event may the sales and use tax equalization distribution to a municipality in a single calendar year exceed: (a) Fifty percent of the amount of ((~~sales and use tax~~)) local transit taxes collected ((~~under RCW 82.14.045~~)) during the prior calendar year; or (b) the maximum amount of revenue that could have been collected at a local transit tax rate of three-tenths percent in the prior calendar year.

(3) For a municipality established after January 1, 1995, sales and use tax equalization distributions shall be made according to the procedures in this subsection. Sales and use tax equalization distributions to eligible new municipalities shall be made at the same time as distributions are made under subsection (2) of this section. The department of revenue shall follow the estimating procedures outlined in this subsection until the new municipality has received a full year's worth of local transit tax revenues ((~~under RCW 82.14.045~~)) as of the January sales and use tax equalization distribution.

(a) Whether a newly established municipality determined to receive funds under this subsection receives its first equalization payment at the January, April, July, or October sales and use tax equalization distribution shall depend on the date the system first imposes ((~~the tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit taxes.

(i) A newly established municipality imposing ((~~the tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit taxes taking effect during the first calendar quarter shall be eligible to receive funds under this subsection beginning with the July sales and use tax equalization distribution of that year.

(ii) A newly established municipality imposing ((~~the tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit taxes taking effect during the second calendar quarter shall be eligible to receive funds under this subsection beginning with the October sales and use tax equalization distribution of that year.

(iii) A newly established municipality imposing ((~~the tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit taxes taking effect during the third calendar quarter shall be eligible to receive funds under this subsection beginning with the January sales and use tax equalization distribution of the next year.

(iv) A newly established municipality imposing ((~~the tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit taxes taking effect during the fourth calendar quarter shall be eligible to receive funds under this subsection beginning with the April sales and use tax equalization distribution of the next year.

(b) For purposes of calculating the amount of funds the new municipality should receive under this subsection, the department of revenue shall:

(i) Estimate the per capita amount of revenues from ((~~the tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit taxes that the new municipality would have received had the municipality received revenues from the tax the entire calendar year;

(ii) Calculate the amount provided under subsection (2) of this section based on the per capita revenues determined under (b)(i) of this subsection;

(iii) Prorate the amount determined under (b)(ii) of this subsection by the number of months the ((~~tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045 is~~))local transit taxes have been imposed.

(c) The department of revenue shall advise the state treasurer of the amounts calculated under (b) of this subsection and the state treasurer shall distribute these amounts to the new municipality from the motor vehicle excise tax distributed under RCW 82.44.150(2)(d).

(((d) Revenues estimated under this subsection shall not affect the calculation of the state-wide weighted average per capita level of revenues for all municipalities made under subsection (1) of this section.))

(4) ((For an existing municipality imposing the sales and use tax authorized under RCW 82.14.045 to take effect after January 1, 1995, sales and use tax equalization payments shall be made according to the procedures for newly established municipalities in subsection (3) of the section.

~~(5)~~)) A municipality that reduces its ((~~sales and use tax rate under RCW 82.14.045~~)) local transit tax rate after January 1, 1994, may not receive distributions under this section.