HB 1553-S - DIGEST

(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 3/12/98)

     Recognizes the need to assist cities and towns to replace the local funding that would have been available to them had RCW 82.80.050 been upheld.

     Declares an intent to provide cities and towns the local option, with voter approval, to:  (1) Authorize a city street district levy, similar to the existing county road district levy in RCW 36.82.040, to be levied for cities under three hundred thousand in population by the county legislative authority and by larger cities for themselves, as is the case with other regular property taxes;

     (2) increase the local sales and use tax; or

     (3) impose a city or town gas tax of ten percent of the state rate.  Additionally, cities and towns are provided the local option, subject to voter referendum, to impose a business and occupation tax on retail sales in the city or town of motor vehicle and special fuel, or to impose a vehicle license fee if that fee has not been imposed by the county in which the city or town is located.  A city or town may use any combination of the five options.

     Provides that, for the purpose of raising revenue for establishing, laying out, constructing, altering, repairing, improving, and maintaining city streets and bridges, and for other proper city transportation purposes in accordance with RCW 82.80.070, the county legislative authority, or the city legislative authority in a city having a population of three hundred thousand or more, shall annually at the time of making the property tax levy for general purposes make a uniform tax levy throughout each city street district of an amount not to exceed fifty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value of the last assessed valuation of the taxable property in the city street district.