SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESSB 6174

              As Passed Senate, February 16, 1998

Title:  An act relating to special purpose district commissioner per diem compensation.

Brief Description:  Changing compensation for special district commissioners.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senator McCaslin).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  1/23/982/6/98 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/16/98, 45-3.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6174 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chair; Hale, Vice Chair; Anderson, Horn and T. Sheldon.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786-7405)

Background:  The commissioners of fire protection districts, water-sewer districts, hospital districts and port districts are paid per diem compensation of $50 per day, not to exceed $4,800 per year.  (Commissioners of port districts with a gross operating revenue exceeding $25 million may not exceed $6,000 per year.)

The commissioners of public utility districts, diking and drainage districts, drainage districts, diking, drainage, sewerage improvement districts, intercounty diking and drainage districts, flood control districts, and irrigation districts may adopt a resolution to receive per diem compensation of up to $50 per day, not to exceed $4,800 per year.  (Commissioners of public utility districts may not exceed $7,000 per year.)

Each eligible member of a public transit benefit area authority, after passage of a resolution, may receive per diem compensation of up to $44 per day, not to exceed $3,300 per year.

The commissioners of metropolitan park districts and cemetery districts are not authorized to receive per diem compensation.

The state Constitution prohibits elected officials who set their own salaries from increasing their  salaries during their current term of office.

Summary of Bill:  The per diem compensation for commissioners of fire protection districts, water-sewer districts, hospital districts, and port districts is increased from $50 per day to $70 per day, and the yearly ceiling is increased from $4,800 per year to $6,720 per year ($8,400 per year if a port district has a gross operating revenue over $25 million).

The commissioners of metropolitan park districts, cemetery districts, diking and drainage districts, drainage districts, diking, drainage, sewerage improvement districts, intercounty diking and drainage districts, flood control districts, irrigation districts, public transit benefit area authorities, and public utility districts may adopt a resolution providing for per diem compensation at a rate of up to $70 per day, not to exceed $6,720 per year (public utility districts may not exceed $9,800 per year and public transit benefit area authorities may not exceed $5,250 per year).

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Most commissioners have not had a per diem compensation raise since 1985.  We need this to attract capable people.

Testimony Against:  Some per diem compensation is paid for matters not related to the actual running of a district.  We need stronger policies at the district level for per diem compensation.

Testified:  Scott Taylor, Washington Public Ports Association (pro); Joe Daniels, Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts (pro); Ryan Spiller, Washington Fire Commissioners Association (pro); Allen Yanity (con).