| Washington State House of Representatives |
BILL ANALYSIS |
| Transportation Committee | |
ESSB 6771
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
Brief Description: Temporarily eliminating regional transportation investment districts.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen and Murray).
Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill |
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Hearing Date:
Staff: Kathryn Leathers (786-7114).
Background:
In 2002, the Legislature authorized the creation of regional transportation investment districts
(RTID) for the purpose of planning, selecting, funding, and implementing regional transportation
improvements within the central Puget Sound region. Under this authorizing legislation, a RTID
was required to include at least two contiguous counties, one of which was required to have a
population of over 1.5 million and any adjoining counties were required to have a population
over 500,000. The boundaries of the RTID were also encouraged to include at least the
contiguous areas within the regional transit authority serving the counties. Subsequently, a three-county RTID planning committee was established in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
Pursuant to legislation enacted during the 2006 legislative session, Sound Transit and the
proposed three-county RTID were required to submit a joint ballot measure at the 2007 general
election for voter approval of the agencies' respective transit and highway improvement plans.
Passage of each measure was made contingent on the passage of the other measure.
The voters did not approve the November 2007 joint ballot measure. As a result, neither plan
was approved and the proposed RTID was not formally created. Single-county RTIDs may now
be formed by King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
A RTID is granted several local voter-approved funding options to fund the improvements,
including a sales and use tax, vehicle license fee, parking tax, motor vehicle excise tax, employer
tax, local option fuel tax, and vehicle tolls.
Eligible projects include capital improvements to highways of statewide significance, including
associated multimodal capital improvements, and, under limited circumstances, certain local
street, road, and highway improvements. Additionally, operational expenses (for example, transit
services) are allowed for project construction mitigation related to RTID-funded projects.
Summary of Bill:
The authority to form a regional transportation investment district is temporarily suspended until
November 1, 2009.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.