H-3001.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2496
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2002 Regular Session
By Representatives Dunshee and Mulliken
Read first time 01/18/2002. Referred to Committee on Local Government & Housing.
AN ACT Relating to fire protection district property taxes; amending RCW 84.52.052; and adding a new section to chapter 84.52 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 84.52.052 and 1996 c 230 s 1615 are each amended to read as follows:
The limitations imposed
by RCW 84.52.050 through 84.52.056, and RCW 84.52.043 shall not prevent the
levy of additional taxes by any taxing district, except school districts
and fire protection districts, in which a larger levy is necessary in
order to prevent the impairment of the obligation of contracts. As used in
this section, the term "taxing district" means any county,
metropolitan park district, park and recreation service area, park and recreation
district, water-sewer district, solid waste disposal district, public
facilities district, flood control zone district, county rail district, service
district, public hospital district, road district, rural county library
district, island library district, rural partial-county library district,
intercounty rural library district, ((fire protection district,))
cemetery district, city, town, transportation benefit district, emergency
medical service district with a population density of less than one thousand per
square mile, or cultural arts, stadium, and convention district.
Any such taxing district may levy taxes at a rate in excess of the rate specified in RCW 84.52.050 through 84.52.056 and 84.52.043, or 84.55.010 through 84.55.050, when authorized so to do by the voters of such taxing district in the manner set forth in Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state at a special or general election to be held in the year in which the levy is made.
A special election may be called and the time therefor fixed by the county legislative authority, or council, board of commissioners, or other governing body of any such taxing district, by giving notice thereof by publication in the manner provided by law for giving notices of general elections, at which special election the proposition authorizing such excess levy shall be submitted in such form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "yes" and those opposed thereto to vote "no."
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 84.52 RCW to read as follows:
The limitations imposed by RCW 84.52.050 through 84.52.056, and 84.52.043 shall not prevent the levy of taxes by a fire protection district, when authorized so to do by the voters of a fire protection district in the manner and for the purposes and number of years allowable under Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state. Elections for taxes shall be held in the year in which the levy is made. Once additional tax levies have been authorized for maintenance and operation support of a fire protection district for a two-year through four-year period, no further additional tax levies for maintenance and operation support of the district for that period may be authorized.
A special election may be called and the time fixed by the fire protection district commissioners, by giving notice by publication in the manner provided by law for giving notices of general elections, at which special election the proposition authorizing the excess levy shall be submitted in a form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "yes" and those opposed to vote "no."
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