S-1246.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5821

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Heavey and Patterson

Read first time 02/14/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Requiring ordinances and resolutions authorizing property tax increases in taxing districts.

    AN ACT Relating to requiring ordinances and resolutions authorizing property tax increases in taxing districts; and amending RCW 84.55.120.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 84.55.120 and 1995 c 251 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    A taxing district, other than the state, that collects regular levies shall hold a public hearing on revenue sources for the district's following year's current expense budget.  The hearing must include consideration of possible increases in property tax revenues and shall be held prior to the time the taxing district levies the taxes or makes the request to have the taxes levied.  The county legislative authority, or the taxing district's governing body if the district is a city, town, or other type of district, shall hold the hearing.  For purposes of this section, "current expense budget" means that budget which is primarily funded by taxes and charges and reflects the provision of ongoing services.  It does not mean the capital, enterprise, or special assessment budgets of cities, towns, counties, or special purpose districts.

    If the taxing district is otherwise required to hold a public hearing on its proposed regular tax levy, a single public hearing may be held on this matter.

No increase in property tax revenue, other than that resulting from the addition of new construction and improvements to property and any increase in the value of state-assessed property, may be authorized by a taxing district, other than the state, except by adoption by the legislative authority of the taxing district of a separate ordinance or resolution, pursuant to notice, specifically authorizing the increase in terms of both dollars and percentage.  The ordinance or resolution may cover a period of up to two years, but the ordinance shall specifically state for each year the dollar increase and percentage change in the levy from the previous year.

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