E2SSB 5138 -
By Representative Dunshee
NOT CONSIDERED 04/26/2009
On page 6, after line 37 of the amendment, insert the following:
"Sec. 7 RCW 43.155.070 and 2008 c 299 s 25 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) To qualify for loans or pledges under this chapter the board
must determine that a local government meets all of the following
conditions:
(a) The city or county must be imposing a tax under chapter 82.46
RCW at a rate of at least one-quarter of one percent;
(b) The local government must have developed a capital facility
plan; and
(c) The local government must be using all local revenue sources
which are reasonably available for funding public works, taking into
consideration local employment and economic factors.
(2) Except where necessary to address a public health need or
substantial environmental degradation, a county, city, or town planning
under RCW 36.70A.040 must have adopted a comprehensive plan, including
a capital facilities plan element, and development regulations as
required by RCW 36.70A.040. This subsection does not require any
county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040 to adopt a
comprehensive plan or development regulations before requesting or
receiving a loan or loan guarantee under this chapter if such request
is made before the expiration of the time periods specified in RCW
36.70A.040. A county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040
which has not adopted a comprehensive plan and development regulations
within the time periods specified in RCW 36.70A.040 is not prohibited
from receiving a loan or loan guarantee under this chapter if the
comprehensive plan and development regulations are adopted as required
by RCW 36.70A.040 before submitting a request for a loan or loan
guarantee.
(3) In considering awarding loans for public facilities to special
districts requesting funding for a proposed facility located in a
county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040, the board shall
consider whether the county, city, or town planning under RCW
36.70A.040 in whose planning jurisdiction the proposed facility is
located has adopted a comprehensive plan and development regulations as
required by RCW 36.70A.040.
(4) Beginning in 2010, in awarding loans, the board must consider
whether the local government has adopted policies to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions that, at least, include policies consistent with the
requirements of (a) through (c) of this subsection. If the local
government has not adopted policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
the board must consider whether the project is consistent with the
following:
(a) The state's limits on the emissions of greenhouse gases
established in RCW 70.235.020;
(b) Statewide goals to reduce annual per capita vehicle miles
traveled by 2050, in accordance with RCW 47.01.440; and
(c) Applicable federal emissions reduction requirements.
(5) The board shall develop a priority process for public works
projects as provided in this section. The intent of the priority
process is to maximize the value of public works projects accomplished
with assistance under this chapter. The board shall attempt to assure
a geographical balance in assigning priorities to projects. The board
shall consider at least the following factors in assigning a priority
to a project:
(a) Whether the local government receiving assistance has
experienced severe fiscal distress resulting from natural disaster or
emergency public works needs;
(b) Except as otherwise conditioned by RCW 43.155.110, whether the
entity receiving assistance is a Puget Sound partner, as defined in RCW
90.71.010;
(c) Whether the project is referenced in the action agenda
developed by the Puget Sound partnership under RCW 90.71.310;
(d) Whether the project is critical in nature and would affect the
health and safety of a great number of citizens;
(e) Whether the applicant has developed and adhered to guidelines
regarding its permitting process for those applying for development
permits consistent with section 1(2), chapter 231, Laws of 2007;
(f) The cost of the project compared to the size of the local
government and amount of loan money available;
(g) The number of communities served by or funding the project;
(h) Whether the project is located in an area of high unemployment,
compared to the average state unemployment;
(i) Whether the project is the acquisition, expansion, improvement,
or renovation by a local government of a public water system that is in
violation of health and safety standards, including the cost of
extending existing service to such a system;
(j) Except as otherwise conditioned by RCW 43.155.120, and
effective one calendar year following the development of model
evergreen community management plans and ordinances under RCW
35.105.050, whether the entity receiving assistance has been
recognized, and what gradation of recognition was received, in the
evergreen community recognition program created in RCW 35.105.030;
(k) The relative benefit of the project to the community,
considering the present level of economic activity in the community and
the existing local capacity to increase local economic activity in
communities that have low economic growth; and
(l) Other criteria that the board considers advisable.
(((5))) (6) Existing debt or financial obligations of local
governments shall not be refinanced under this chapter. Each local
government applicant shall provide documentation of attempts to secure
additional local or other sources of funding for each public works
project for which financial assistance is sought under this chapter.
(((6))) (7) Before November 1st of each year, the board shall
develop and submit to the appropriate fiscal committees of the senate
and house of representatives a description of the loans made under RCW
43.155.065, 43.155.068, and subsection (((9))) (10) of this section
during the preceding fiscal year and a prioritized list of projects
which are recommended for funding by the legislature, including one
copy to the staff of each of the committees. The list shall include,
but not be limited to, a description of each project and recommended
financing, the terms and conditions of the loan or financial guarantee,
the local government jurisdiction and unemployment rate, demonstration
of the jurisdiction's critical need for the project, a description of
local policies or project consistency with state greenhouse emissions
goals, and documentation of local funds being used to finance the
public works project. The list shall also include measures of fiscal
capacity for each jurisdiction recommended for financial assistance,
compared to authorized limits and state averages, including local
government sales taxes; real estate excise taxes; property taxes; and
charges for or taxes on sewerage, water, garbage, and other utilities.
(((7))) (8) The board shall not sign contracts or otherwise
financially obligate funds from the public works assistance account
before the legislature has appropriated funds for a specific list of
public works projects. The legislature may remove projects from the
list recommended by the board. The legislature shall not change the
order of the priorities recommended for funding by the board.
(((8))) (9) Subsection (((7))) (8) of this section does not apply
to loans made under RCW 43.155.065, 43.155.068, and subsection (((9)))
(10) of this section.
(((9))) (10) Loans made for the purpose of capital facilities plans
shall be exempted from subsection (((7))) (8) of this section.
(((10))) (11) To qualify for loans or pledges for solid waste or
recycling facilities under this chapter, a city or county must
demonstrate that the solid waste or recycling facility is consistent
with and necessary to implement the comprehensive solid waste
management plan adopted by the city or county under chapter 70.95 RCW.
(((11))) (12) After January 1, 2010, any project designed to
address the effects of storm water or wastewater on Puget Sound may be
funded under this section only if the project is not in conflict with
the action agenda developed by the Puget Sound partnership under RCW
90.71.310.
Sec. 8 RCW 43.160.060 and 2008 c 327 s 5 are each amended to read
as follows:
The board is authorized to make direct loans to political
subdivisions of the state and to federally recognized Indian tribes for
the purposes of assisting the political subdivisions and federally
recognized Indian tribes in financing the cost of public facilities,
including development of land and improvements for public facilities,
project-specific environmental, capital facilities, land use,
permitting, feasibility, and marketing studies and plans; project
design, site planning, and analysis; project debt and revenue impact
analysis; as well as the construction, rehabilitation, alteration,
expansion, or improvement of the facilities. A grant may also be
authorized for purposes designated in this chapter, but only when, and
to the extent that, a loan is not reasonably possible, given the
limited resources of the political subdivision or the federally
recognized Indian tribe and the finding by the board that financial
circumstances require grant assistance to enable the project to move
forward. However, no more than twenty-five percent of all financial
assistance approved by the board in any biennium may consist of grants
to political subdivisions and federally recognized Indian tribes.
Application for funds shall be made in the form and manner as the
board may prescribe. In making grants or loans the board shall conform
to the following requirements:
(1) The board shall not provide financial assistance:
(a) For a project the primary purpose of which is to facilitate or
promote a retail shopping development or expansion.
(b) For any project that evidence exists would result in a
development or expansion that would displace existing jobs in any other
community in the state.
(c) For a project the primary purpose of which is to facilitate or
promote gambling.
(d) For a project located outside the jurisdiction of the applicant
political subdivision or federally recognized Indian tribe.
(2) The board shall only provide financial assistance:
(a) For a project demonstrating convincing evidence that a specific
private development or expansion is ready to occur and will occur only
if the public facility improvement is made that:
(i) Results in the creation of significant private sector jobs or
significant private sector capital investment as determined by the
board and is consistent with the state comprehensive economic
development plan developed by the Washington economic development
commission pursuant to chapter 43.162 RCW, once the plan is adopted;
and
(ii) Will improve the opportunities for the successful maintenance,
establishment, or expansion of industrial or commercial plants or will
otherwise assist in the creation or retention of long-term economic
opportunities;
(b) For a project that cannot meet the requirement of (a) of this
subsection but is a project that:
(i) Results in the creation of significant private sector jobs or
significant private sector capital investment as determined by the
board and is consistent with the state comprehensive economic
development plan developed by the Washington economic development
commission pursuant to chapter 43.162 RCW, once the plan is adopted;
(ii) Is part of a local economic development plan consistent with
applicable state planning requirements;
(iii) Can demonstrate project feasibility using standard economic
principles; and
(iv) Is located in a rural community as defined by the board, or a
rural county;
(c) For site-specific plans, studies, and analyses that address
environmental impacts, capital facilities, land use, permitting,
feasibility, marketing, project engineering, design, site planning, and
project debt and revenue impacts, as grants not to exceed fifty
thousand dollars.
(3) The board shall develop guidelines for local participation and
allowable match and activities.
(4) Beginning in 2010, in awarding loans and grants the board must
consider whether the applicant has adopted policies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions that, at least, include policies consistent
with the requirements of (a) through (c) of this subsection. If the
applicant has not adopted policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
the board must consider whether the project is consistent with (a)
through (c) of this subsection.
(a) The state's limits on the emissions of greenhouse gases
established in RCW 70.235.020;
(b) Statewide goals to reduce annual per capita vehicle miles
traveled by 2050, in accordance with RCW 47.01.440, except that the
board shall consider whether project locations in rural counties
defined in RCW 43.160.020 will maximize the reduction of vehicle miles
traveled; and
(c) Applicable federal emissions reduction requirements.
(5) None of the considerations directed in subsection (4) of this
section shall relieve the board of its duty to approve financial
assistance to rural communities as required in RCW 43.160.076.
(6) An application must demonstrate local match and local
participation, in accordance with guidelines developed by the board.
(((5))) (7) An application must be approved by the political
subdivision and supported by the local associate development
organization or local workforce development council or approved by the
governing body of the federally recognized Indian tribe.
(((6))) (8) The board may allow de minimis general system
improvements to be funded if they are critically linked to the
viability of the project.
(((7))) (9) An application must demonstrate convincing evidence
that the median hourly wage of the private sector jobs created after
the project is completed will exceed the countywide median hourly wage.
(((8))) (10) The board shall prioritize each proposed project
according to:
(a) The relative benefits provided to the community by the jobs the
project would create, not just the total number of jobs it would create
after the project is completed, but also giving consideration to the
unemployment rate in the area in which the jobs would be located;
(b) The rate of return of the state's investment, including, but
not limited to, the leveraging of private sector investment,
anticipated job creation and retention, and expected increases in state
and local tax revenues associated with the project;
(c) Whether the proposed project offers a health insurance plan for
employees that includes an option for dependents of employees;
(d) Whether the public facility investment will increase existing
capacity necessary to accommodate projected population and employment
growth in a manner that supports infill and redevelopment of existing
urban or industrial areas that are served by adequate public
facilities. Projects should maximize the use of existing
infrastructure and provide for adequate funding of necessary
transportation improvements; and
(e) Whether the applicant has developed and adhered to guidelines
regarding its permitting process for those applying for development
permits consistent with section 1(2), chapter 231, Laws of 2007.
(((9))) (11) A responsible official of the political subdivision or
the federally recognized Indian tribe shall be present during board
deliberations and provide information that the board requests.
Before any financial assistance application is approved, the
political subdivision or the federally recognized Indian tribe seeking
the assistance must demonstrate to the community economic
revitalization board that no other timely source of funding is
available to it at costs reasonably similar to financing available from
the community economic revitalization board.
Sec. 9 RCW 43.160.900 and 2008 c 327 s 9 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The community economic revitalization board shall conduct
biennial outcome-based evaluations of the financial assistance provided
under this chapter. The evaluations shall include information on the
number of applications for community economic revitalization board
assistance; the number and types of projects approved; the grant or
loan amount awarded each project; the projected number of jobs created
or retained by each project; the actual number and cost of jobs created
or retained by each project; the wages and health benefits associated
with the jobs; a description of local policies or project consistency
with state greenhouse emissions goals; the amount of state funds and
total capital invested in projects; the number and types of businesses
assisted by funded projects; the location of funded projects; the
transportation infrastructure available for completed projects; the
local match and local participation obtained; the number of delinquent
loans; and the number of project terminations. The evaluations may
also include additional performance measures and recommendations for
programmatic changes.
(2)(a) By September 1st of each even-numbered year, the board shall
forward its draft evaluation to the Washington state economic
development commission for review and comment((, as required in section
10 of this act)). The board shall provide any additional information
as may be requested by the commission for the purpose of its review.
(b) Any written comments or recommendations provided by the
commission as a result of its review shall be included in the board's
completed evaluation. The evaluation must be presented to the governor
and appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31st of each
even-numbered year. The initial evaluation must be submitted by
December 31, 2010.
Sec. 10 RCW 39.102.040 and 2007 c 229 s 2 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Prior to applying to the board to use local infrastructure
financing, a sponsoring local government shall:
(a) Designate a revenue development area within the limitations in
RCW 39.102.060;
(b) Certify that the conditions in RCW 39.102.070 are met;
(c) Complete the process in RCW 39.102.080;
(d) Provide public notice as required in RCW 39.102.100; and
(e) Pass an ordinance adopting the revenue development area as
required in RCW 39.102.090.
(2) Any local government that has created an increment area under
chapter 39.89 RCW and has not issued bonds to finance any public
improvement may apply to the board and have its increment area
considered for approval as a revenue development area under this
chapter without adopting a new revenue development area under RCW
39.102.090 and 39.102.100 if it amends its ordinance to comply with RCW
39.102.090(1) and otherwise meets the conditions and limitations under
this chapter.
(3) As a condition to imposing a sales and use tax under RCW
82.14.475, a sponsoring local government, including any cosponsoring
local government seeking authority to impose a sales and use tax under
RCW 82.14.475, must apply to the board and be approved for a project
award amount. The application shall be in a form and manner prescribed
by the board and include but not be limited to information establishing
that the applicant is an eligible candidate to impose the local sales
and use tax under RCW 82.14.475, the anticipated effective date for
imposing the tax, the estimated number of years that the tax will be
imposed, and the estimated amount of tax revenue to be received in each
fiscal year that the tax will be imposed. The board shall make
available forms to be used for this purpose. As part of the
application, each applicant must provide to the board a copy of the
ordinance or ordinances creating the revenue development area as
required in RCW 39.102.090. A notice of approval to use local
infrastructure financing shall contain a project award that represents
the maximum amount of state contribution that the applicant, including
any cosponsoring local governments, can earn each year that local
infrastructure financing is used. The total of all project awards
shall not exceed the annual state contribution limit. The
determination of a project award shall be made based on information
contained in the application and the remaining amount of annual state
contribution limit to be awarded. Determination of a project award by
the board is final.
(4)(a) Sponsoring local governments, and any cosponsoring local
governments, applying in calendar year 2007 for a competitive project
award, must submit completed applications to the board no later than
July 1, 2007. By September 15, 2007, in consultation with the
department of revenue and the department of community, trade, and
economic development, the board shall approve competitive project
awards from competitive applications submitted by the 2007 deadline.
No more than two million five hundred thousand dollars in competitive
project awards shall be approved in 2007. For projects not approved by
the board in 2007, sponsoring and cosponsoring local governments may
apply again to the board in 2008 for approval of a project.
(b) Sponsoring local governments, and any cosponsoring local
governments, applying in calendar year 2008 for a competitive project
award, must submit completed applications to the board no later than
July 1, 2008. By September 18, 2008, in consultation with the
department of revenue and the department of community, trade, and
economic development, the board shall approve competitive project
awards from competitive applications submitted by the 2008 deadline.
(c) Except as provided in RCW 39.102.050(2), a total of no more
than five million dollars in competitive project awards shall be
approved for local infrastructure financing.
(d) The project selection criteria and weighting developed prior to
July 22, 2007, for the application evaluation and approval process
shall apply to applications received prior to November 1, 2007. In
evaluating applications for a competitive project award after November
1, 2007, the board shall, in consultation with the Washington state
economic development commission, develop the relative weight to be
assigned to the following criteria:
(i) The project's potential to enhance the sponsoring local
government's regional and/or international competitiveness;
(ii) The project's ability to encourage mixed use and transit-oriented development and the redevelopment of a geographic area;
(iii) Achieving an overall distribution of projects statewide that
reflect geographic diversity;
(iv) The estimated wages and benefits for the project is greater
than the average labor market area;
(v) The estimated state and local net employment change over the
life of the project;
(vi) The current economic health and vitality of the proposed
revenue development area and the contiguous community and the estimated
impact of the proposed project on the proposed revenue development area
and contiguous community;
(vii) The estimated state and local net property tax change over
the life of the project;
(viii) The estimated state and local sales and use tax increase
over the life of the project;
(ix) An analysis that shows that, over the life of the project,
neither the local excise tax allocation revenues nor the local property
tax allocation revenues will constitute more than eighty percent of the
total local funds as described in RCW 39.102.020(29)(c); and
(x) If a project is located within an urban growth area, evidence
that the project utilizes existing urban infrastructure and that the
transportation needs of the project will be adequately met through the
use of local infrastructure financing or other sources.
(e)(i) Except as provided in this subsection (4)(e), the board may
not approve the use of local infrastructure financing within more than
one revenue development area per county.
(ii) In a county in which the board has approved the use of local
infrastructure financing, the use of such financing in additional
revenue development areas may be approved, subject to the following
conditions:
(A) The sponsoring local government is located in more than one
county; and
(B) The sponsoring local government designates a revenue
development area that comprises portions of a county within which the
use of local infrastructure financing has not yet been approved.
(iii) In a county where the local infrastructure financing tool is
authorized under RCW 39.102.050, the board may approve additional use
of the local infrastructure financing tool.
(5) Beginning in 2010, as part of the approval process, the board
must consider whether the sponsoring local government has adopted
policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that, at least, include
policies consistent with (a) through (c) of this subsection.
(a) The state's limits on the emissions of greenhouse gases
established in RCW 70.235.020;
(b) Statewide goals to reduce annual per capita vehicle miles
traveled by 2050, in accordance with RCW 47.01.440; and
(c) Applicable federal emissions reduction requirements.
(6) Once the board has approved the sponsoring local government,
and any cosponsoring local governments, to use local infrastructure
financing, notification must be sent by the board to the sponsoring
local government, and any cosponsoring local governments, authorizing
the sponsoring local government, and any cosponsoring local
governments, to impose the local sales and use tax authorized under RCW
82.14.475, subject to the conditions in RCW 82.14.475.
Sec. 11 RCW 47.26.282 and 2002 c 189 s 5 are each amended to read
as follows:
In any project funded by the transportation improvement board,
except for projects in cities having a population of less than five
thousand persons, and in addition to any other items required to be
considered by statute, the board also shall consider the land use
implications of the project, such as whether the programs and projects:
(1) Support development in and revitalization of existing
downtowns;
(2) Implement local comprehensive plans for rural and urban
residential and nonresidential densities;
(3) Have land use planning and regulations encouraging compact
development for rural and urban residential and nonresidential
densities; ((and))
(4) Promote the use of multimodal transportation; and
(5) Beginning in 2010, are located in jurisdictions that have
adopted policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that, at least,
include policies consistent with (a) the state's limits on the
emissions of greenhouse gases established in RCW 70.235.020; (b)
statewide goals to reduce annual per capita vehicle miles traveled by
2050, in accordance with RCW 47.01.440; and (c) applicable federal
emissions reduction requirements."
Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.
EFFECT: Beginning in 2010, the public works board (PWB), the
community economic revitalization board (CERB), the local
infrastructure financing tool, and the transportation improvement board
are required, when reviewing projects for the award of funds, to
consider whether the applicant has adopted policies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The policies must be consistent with the
requirements of the state's limits on the emissions of greenhouse
gases, the state's goals to reduce annual per capita vehicle miles
traveled, and federal emissions reduction requirements. The CERB must
consider whether projects located in rural areas maximize a reduction
of vehicle miles traveled instead of being consistent with state goals
to reduce annual per capita vehicle miles traveled.
The PWB and CERB must include a description of local policies or
project consistency with the state greenhouse gas emissions
limitations.