Title: An act relating to requiring regional transportation investment district tax revenue to be allocated proportionally among member counties.

Brief Description: Requiring regional transportation investment district tax revenue to be allocated proportionally among member counties.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Shabro, Conway, Priest, McDonald, Tom, Darneille, McMahan, Flannigan, Carrell, Campbell, Lantz, Talcott, Roach, Bailey, Kirby and Kristiansen).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

• Requires that funds generated within each county of a Regional Transportation Investment District be spent for the benefit of that county.

• Permits the projects within a county to be modified with the Regional Transportation Investment District Board (Board) and voter approval.

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Rockefeller, Vice Chair; Simpson, Vice Chair; Ericksen, Ranking Minority Member; Jarrett, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Armstrong, Bailey, Campbell, Clibborn, Cooper, Dickerson, Flannigan, Hankins, Kristiansen, Lovick, Mielke, Nixon, Romero, Schindler, Shabro, Sullivan, Wallace, Wood and Woods.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 3 members: Representatives Hatfield, Hudgins and Morris.

Regional Transportation Investment Districts were authorized under Chapter 56, Laws 2002 for the purpose of planning, selecting, funding, and implementing projects identified to address transportation needs in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Implementation requires at least two-contiguous counties forming a single district. The district is authorized several local voter-approved funding options including a sales and use tax, vehicle registration fee, parking tax, and vehicle tolls.

The councils of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties met in June 2002 as the planning committee to determine transportation investments in each of the three counties. The planning committee consists of the members of the county legislative authorities of the three counties, with votes weighted proportionally to population. Project lists have been identified by each of the counties and those projects are being evaluated for costs and funds available. Before a plan goes before the voters, each county council must approve the plan. There is no requirement on how the plan should distribute the funds among the participating counties.

Revenues raised by a Regional Transportation Investment District must be allocated proportionally to member counties based on tax revenue generated and must be used for the benefit of the county within which they are generated. The district retains authority to manage debt and schedules and revenues from the entire district can be pledged to support bonds issued by the district.

The transportation investment plan within a single county can be modified if: the Board approves modifications that are limited to projects within the county; the modifications maintain equity among counties; and the voters within the county approve the changes. If the voters decline the plan modifications, the plan remains in place.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This codifies the policies already being observed by the Executive Committee of the Regional Transportation Investment District Planning Committee. It assures that revenues generated within each county will go to benefit the county residents. Also this proposal allows a county which is part of the district, to change a project or projects should the need arise.

Testified: Representative Shabro, prime sponsor; Shaun Bunny, Pierce County Council; and John Ladenburg, Pierce County Executive.