VETO MESSAGE ON HB 1539

                   April 22, 1997

To the Honorable Speaker and Members,

  The House of Representatives of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am returning herewith, without my approval, House Bill 1539 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to fire district associations;"

     House Bill 1539 would allow the Washington Fire Commissioners Association, which has been limited to existing as a non-profit corporation, to adopt articles of association as a municipal corporation.  According to testimony provided in the House Committee on Government Administration and the Senate Committee on Government Operations, the purpose of the bill is to assure that property owned by the Association is exempt from property tax.

     Unfortunately, this bill does not take a workable approach to accomplish its goal.  It is highly questionable whether allowing the Association to reorganize as a municipal corporation would make property it owns exempt from tax.

     For these reasons, I have vetoed House Bill No. 1539 in its entirety.

                   Respectfully submitted,

                   Gary Locke

                   Governor