[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to temporary property tax levies by school districts for the construction, purchase, rent, or lease of school facilities; amending RCW 84.52.010 and 84.52.043; adding a new section to chapter 84.52 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.525 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 84.55 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 84.52 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A school district may impose a regular property tax levy for a two-year period under this section to support the construction of school plant facilities or the purchase, rent, or lease of building space or portable buildings, if the voters of the district have defeated propositions for tax levies for such purposes under Article VII, section 2 (a) or (b) of the state Constitution twice within a twelve-month period.

(2) A levy under this section may be imposed if the proposition submitted to the voters received approval by at least a majority of the total number of voters voting on the proposition at each election for the proposition, and is approved by a majority vote of the school board.

(3) A levy under this section may not exceed the lesser of the limits specified in this subsection.

(a) The levy rate per thousand dollars of assessed value in any year may not exceed the rate that would have been imposed in the first year under the proposition most recently submitted to the voters of the district under Article VII, section 2 (a) or (b) of the state Constitution.

(b) In the first year of a two-year levy, the levy rate per thousand dollars of assessed value may not exceed ninety percent of the difference between (i) three dollars and sixty cents, and (ii) the unequalized levy rate imposed by the state for the same year.

(c) In the second year of a two-year levy, the levy rate per thousand dollars of assessed value may not exceed the difference between (i) three dollars and sixty cents, and (ii) the unequalized levy rate imposed by the state for the same year.

(4) A school district may impose a levy under this section no more frequently than four years in any six-year period.

(5) A school district may pledge revenue received under this section for the payment of principal and interest of debt issued for the purposes of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.525 RCW to read as follows:

Projects funded with revenues received under section 1 of this act are eligible for state funding assistance under RCW 28A.525.160 through 28A.525.182. Revenues received under section 1 of this act qualify as school district matching funds under RCW 28A.525.162.

Sec. 3. RCW 84.52.010 and 1995 2nd sp.s. c 13 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

Except as is permitted under RCW 84.55.050, all taxes shall be levied or voted in specific amounts.

The rate percent of all taxes for state and county purposes, and purposes of taxing districts coextensive with the county, shall be determined, calculated and fixed by the county assessors of the respective counties, within the limitations provided by law, upon the assessed valuation of the property of the county, as shown by the completed tax rolls of the county, and the rate percent of all taxes levied for purposes of taxing districts within any county shall be determined, calculated and fixed by the county assessors of the respective counties, within the limitations provided by law, upon the assessed valuation of the property of the taxing districts respectively.

When a county assessor finds that the aggregate rate of tax levy on any property, that is subject to the limitations set forth in RCW 84.52.043 or 84.52.050, exceeds the limitations provided in either of these sections, the assessor shall recompute and establish a consolidated levy in the following manner:

(1) The full certified rates of tax levy for state, county, county road district, and city or town purposes shall be extended on the tax rolls in amounts not exceeding the limitations established by law; however any state levy and levies under section 1 of this act shall take precedence over all other levies and shall not be reduced for any purpose other than that required by RCW 84.55.010. If, as a result of the levies imposed under RCW 84.52.069, 84.34.230, the portion of the levy by a metropolitan park district that was protected under RCW 84.52.120, and 84.52.105, the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are subject to the one percent limitation exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property, then these levies shall be reduced as follows: (a) The portion of the levy by a metropolitan park district that is protected under RCW 84.52.120 shall be reduced until the combined rate no longer exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property or shall be eliminated; (b) if the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property, then the levies imposed under RCW 84.34.230, 84.52.105, and any portion of the levy imposed under RCW 84.52.069 that is in excess of thirty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, shall be reduced on a pro rata basis until the combined rate no longer exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property or shall be eliminated; and (c) if the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property, then the thirty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value of tax levy imposed under RCW 84.52.069 shall be reduced until the combined rate no longer exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property or eliminated.

(2) The certified rates of tax levy subject to these limitations by all junior taxing districts imposing taxes on such property shall be reduced or eliminated as follows to bring the consolidated levy of taxes on such property within the provisions of these limitations:

(a) First, the certified property tax levy rates of those junior taxing districts authorized under RCW 36.68.525, 36.69.145, and 67.38.130 shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated;

(b) Second, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these limitations, the certified property tax levy rates of flood control zone districts shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated;

(c) Third, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these limitations, the certified property tax levy rates of all other junior taxing districts, other than fire protection districts, library districts, the first fifty cent per thousand dollars of assessed valuation levies for metropolitan park districts, and the first fifty cent per thousand dollars of assessed valuation levies for public hospital districts, shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated;

(d) Fourth, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these limitations, the certified property tax levy rates authorized to fire protection districts under RCW 52.16.140 and 52.16.160 shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated; and

(e) Fifth, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these limitations, the certified property tax levy rates authorized for fire protection districts under RCW 52.16.130, library districts, metropolitan park districts under their first fifty cent per thousand dollars of assessed valuation levy, and public hospital districts under their first fifty cent per thousand dollars of assessed valuation levy, shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated.

In determining whether the aggregate rate of tax levy on any property, that is subject to the limitations set forth in RCW 84.52.050, exceeds the limitations provided in that section, the assessor shall use the hypothetical state levy, as apportioned to the county under RCW 84.48.080, that was computed under RCW 84.48.080 without regard to the reduction under RCW 84.55.012.

Sec. 4. RCW 84.52.043 and 1995 c 99 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Within and subject to the limitations imposed by RCW 84.52.050 as amended, the regular ad valorem tax levies upon real and personal property by the taxing districts hereafter named shall be as follows:

(1) Levies of the senior taxing districts shall be as follows: (a) The levy by the state shall not exceed three dollars and sixty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value adjusted to the state equalized value in accordance with the indicated ratio fixed by the state department of revenue to be used exclusively for the support of the common schools; (b) the levy by any county shall not exceed one dollar and eighty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value; (c) the levy by any road district shall not exceed two dollars and twenty-five cents per thousand dollars of assessed value; and (d) the levy by any city or town shall not exceed three dollars and thirty-seven and one-half cents per thousand dollars of assessed value. However any county is hereby authorized to increase its levy from one dollar and eighty cents to a rate not to exceed two dollars and forty-seven and one-half cents per thousand dollars of assessed value for general county purposes if the total levies for both the county and any road district within the county do not exceed four dollars and five cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, and no other taxing district has its levy reduced as a result of the increased county levy.

(2) The aggregate levies of junior taxing districts and senior taxing districts, other than the state, shall not exceed five dollars and ninety cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. The term "junior taxing districts" includes all taxing districts other than the state, counties, road districts, cities, towns, port districts, and public utility districts. The limitations provided in this subsection shall not apply to: (a) Levies at the rates provided by existing law by or for any port or public utility district; (b) excess property tax levies authorized in Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution; (c) levies for acquiring conservation futures as authorized under RCW 84.34.230; (d) levies for emergency medical care or emergency medical services imposed under RCW 84.52.069; (e) levies to finance affordable housing for very low-income housing imposed under RCW 84.52.105; ((~~and~~)) (f) the portions of levies by metropolitan park districts that are protected under RCW 84.52.120; and (g) levies imposed by school districts under section 1 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 84.55 RCW to read as follows:

This chapter does not apply to levies under section 2 of this act.