CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

               SECOND SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5965

 

 

                   Chapter 343, Laws of 2002

 

 

                        57th Legislature

                      2002 Regular Session

 

 

REAL ESTATE EXCISE TAXES--AFFORDABLE HOUSING

 

 

 

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  6/13/02

 

Passed by the Senate February 15, 2002

  YEAS 31   NAYS 17

 

 

               BRAD OWEN

President of the Senate

 

Passed by the House March 14, 2002

  YEAS 50   NAYS 48

             CERTIFICATE

 

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is  SECOND SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5965 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

 

              FRANK CHOPP

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

            TONY M. COOK

                            Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approved April 3, 2002 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.    

                                FILED          

 

 

           April 3, 2002 - 10:51 a.m.

 

 

 

              GARY LOCKE

Governor of the State of Washington

                 Secretary of State

                 State of Washington


          _______________________________________________

 

                SECOND SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5965

          _______________________________________________

 

             Passed Legislature - 2002 Regular Session

 

State of Washington   57th Legislature        2002 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Spanel, Gardner, Kohl‑Welles, Kline and Rasmussen)

 

READ FIRST TIME 02/12/2002.

Authorizing local option real estate excise taxes for affordable housing purposes.   


    AN ACT Relating to local option real estate excise taxes for affordable housing purposes; and adding a new section to chapter 82.46 RCW.

 

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

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 82.46 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Subject to subsections (4) and (5) of this section, the legislative authority of any county may impose an additional excise tax on the purchase and sale of real property in the county at the rate of one-half of one percent of the selling price.  The proceeds of the tax shall be used exclusively for the development of affordable housing including acquisition, building, rehabilitation, and maintenance and operation of housing for very low, low, and moderate income persons and those with special needs.

    (2) Revenues generated from the tax imposed under this section shall be placed in an affordable housing account administered by the county.  Disbursements from the account shall be made following a competitive grant and loan process.  The county legislative authority shall determine a mechanism for receiving grant and loan applications, and criteria by which the applications shall be approved and funded.  Eligible recipients of grants and loans from the account shall be private nonprofit, affordable housing providers, the housing authority for the county, or other housing programs conducted or funded by a public agency, or by a public agency in partnership with a private nonprofit entity.

    (3) The taxes imposed under this section shall be imposed in the same manner and on the same occurrences, and are subject to the same conditions, as the taxes under chapter 82.45 RCW, except that the tax shall be the obligation of both the purchaser and the seller, as determined by the county legislative authority, with at least one-half of the obligation being that of the purchaser.  The county may enforce the obligation through an action of debt against the purchaser or seller or may foreclose the lien on the property in the same manner prescribed for the foreclosure of mortgages.  The imposition of the tax is effective thirty days after the election at which the tax is authorized.

    (4)(a) No tax may be imposed under this section unless approved by a majority of the voters of the county voting, for a specified period and for a specified maximum rate.  This vote must follow either:

    (i) The adoption of a resolution by the county legislative authority proposing this action; or

    (ii) The filing of a petition proposing this action with the county auditor, signed by county voters at least equal in number to ten percent of the total number of voters in the county who voted in the preceding general election.

    (b) The ballot proposition shall be submitted to the voters of the county at the next general election occurring at least sixty days after a petition is filed, or at any special election prior to this general election called for this purpose by the county legislative authority.

    (5) No tax may be imposed under this section unless the county imposes a tax under RCW 82.46.070 at the maximum rate and the tax was imposed by January 1, 2003.

    (6) A plan for the expenditure of the proceeds of the tax imposed by this section shall be prepared by the county legislative authority at least sixty days before the election if the proposal is initiated by resolution of the county legislative authority, or within six months after the tax has been authorized by the voters if the proposal is initiated by petition.  Prior to the adoption of this plan, the elected officials of cities located within the county shall be consulted and at least one public hearing shall be held to obtain public comment.  The proceeds of the tax shall be expended in conformance with this plan.


    Passed the Senate February 15, 2002.

    Passed the House March 14, 2002.

Approved by the Governor April 3, 2002.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 3, 2002.