SSB 6116 -
By Senator McAuliffe
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 67.28.180 and 2008 c 264 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Subject to the conditions set forth in subsections (2) and (3)
of this section, the legislative body of any county or any city, is
authorized to levy and collect a special excise tax of not to exceed
two percent on the sale of or charge made for the furnishing of lodging
that is subject to tax under chapter 82.08 RCW.
(2) Any levy authorized by this section shall be subject to the
following:
(a) Any county ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this
section shall contain, in addition to all other provisions required to
conform to this chapter, a provision allowing a credit against the
county tax for the full amount of any city tax imposed pursuant to this
section upon the same taxable event.
(b) In the event that any county has levied the tax authorized by
this section and has, prior to June 26, 1975, either pledged the tax
revenues for payment of principal and interest on city revenue or
general obligation bonds authorized and issued pursuant to RCW
67.28.150 through 67.28.160 or has authorized and issued revenue or
general obligation bonds pursuant to the provisions of RCW 67.28.150
through 67.28.160, such county shall be exempt from the provisions of
(a) of this subsection, to the extent that the tax revenues are pledged
for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued at any time
pursuant to the provisions of RCW 67.28.150 through 67.28.160:
PROVIDED, That so much of such pledged tax revenues, together with any
investment earnings thereon, not immediately necessary for actual
payment of principal and interest on such bonds may be used: (i) In
any county with a population of one million or more, for repayment
either of limited tax levy general obligation bonds or of any county
fund or account from which a loan was made, the proceeds from the bonds
or loan being used to pay for constructing, installing, improving, and
equipping stadium capital improvement projects, and to pay for any
engineering, planning, financial, legal and professional services
incident to the development of such stadium capital improvement
projects, regardless of the date the debt for such capital improvement
projects was or may be incurred; (ii) in any county with a population
of one million or more, for repayment or refinancing of bonded
indebtedness incurred prior to January 1, 1997, for any purpose
authorized by this section or relating to stadium repairs or
rehabilitation, including but not limited to the cost of settling legal
claims, reimbursing operating funds, interest payments on short-term
loans, and any other purpose for which such debt has been incurred if
the county has created a public stadium authority to develop a stadium
and exhibition center under RCW 36.102.030; or (iii) in other counties,
for county-owned facilities for agricultural promotion until January 1,
2009, and thereafter for any purpose authorized in this chapter.
A county is exempt under this subsection with respect to city
revenue or general obligation bonds issued after April 1, 1991, only if
such bonds mature before January 1, 2013. If any county located east
of the crest of the Cascade mountains has levied the tax authorized by
this section and has, prior to June 26, 1975, pledged the tax revenue
for payment of principal and interest on city revenue or general
obligation bonds, the county is exempt under this subsection with
respect to revenue or general obligation bonds issued after January 1,
2007, only if the bonds mature before January 1, ((2021)) 2035. Such
a county may only use funds under this subsection (2)(b) for
constructing or improving facilities authorized under this chapter,
including county-owned facilities for agricultural promotion, and must
perform an annual financial audit of organizations receiving funding on
the use of the funds.
As used in this subsection (2)(b), "capital improvement projects"
may include, but not be limited to a stadium restaurant facility,
restroom facilities, artificial turf system, seating facilities,
parking facilities and scoreboard and information system adjacent to or
within a county owned stadium, together with equipment, utilities,
accessories and appurtenances necessary thereto. The stadium
restaurant authorized by this subsection (2)(b) shall be operated by a
private concessionaire under a contract with the county.
(c)(i) No city within a county exempt under subsection (2)(b) of
this section may levy the tax authorized by this section so long as
said county is so exempt.
(ii) No city within a county with a population of one million five
hundred thousand or more may levy the tax authorized by this section.
(iii) However, in the event that any city in a county described in
(c)(i) or (ii) of this subsection (2) has levied the tax authorized by
this section and has, prior to June 26, 1975, authorized and issued
revenue or general obligation bonds pursuant to the provisions of RCW
67.28.150 through 67.28.160, such city may levy the tax so long as the
tax revenues are pledged for payment of principal and interest on bonds
issued at any time pursuant to the provisions of RCW 67.28.150 through
67.28.160.
(3) Any levy authorized by this section by a county that has levied
the tax authorized by this section and has, prior to June 26, 1975,
either pledged the tax revenues for payment of principal and interest
on city revenue or general obligation bonds authorized and issued
pursuant to RCW 67.28.150 through 67.28.160 or has authorized and
issued revenue or general obligation bonds pursuant to the provisions
of RCW 67.28.150 through 67.28.160 shall be subject to the following:
(a) Taxes collected under this section in any calendar year before
2013 in excess of five million three hundred thousand dollars shall
only be used as follows:
(i) Seventy-five percent from January 1, 1992, through December 31,
2000, and seventy percent from January 1, 2001, through December 31,
2012, for art museums, cultural museums, heritage museums, heritage and
preservation programs, the arts, and the performing arts. Moneys spent
under this subsection (3)(a)(i) shall be used for the purposes of this
subsection (3)(a)(i) in all parts of the county.
(ii) Twenty-five percent from January 1, 1992, through December 31,
2000, and thirty percent from January 1, 2001, through December 31,
2012, for the following purposes and in a manner reflecting the
following order of priority: Stadium purposes as authorized under
subsection (2)(b) of this section; acquisition of open space lands;
youth sports activities; and tourism promotion. If all or part of the
debt on the stadium is refinanced, all revenues under this subsection
(3)(a)(ii) shall be used to retire the debt.
(b) From January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015, in a county
with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more, all
revenues under this section shall be used to retire the debt on the
stadium, until the debt on the stadium is retired. On and after the
date the debt on the stadium is retired, and through December 31, 2015,
((all)) one-half of the revenues under this section in a county of ((a
[one])) one million five hundred thousand or more shall be deposited in
the ((special)) arts and cultural account under (((f))) (d)(i) of this
subsection, and the remainder of the revenues shall be deposited in the
affordable housing account under (d)(ii) of this subsection.
(c) From January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2020, in a county
with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more, all
revenues under this section shall be deposited in the stadium and
exhibition center account under RCW 43.99N.060.
(d) On and after January 1, 2021, ((at least thirty-seven and
one-half percent of)) revenues under this section in a county of ((a
[one])) one million five hundred thousand or more shall be deposited
((in the special account under (f) of this subsection)) as follows:
(i) At least thirty-seven and one-half percent of the revenues
shall be deposited in an arts and cultural account. The account may
only be used for the purposes of (a)(i) of this subsection.
(ii) At least thirty-seven and one-half percent of the revenues
shall be deposited in an affordable housing account for the purposes of
distributions to nonprofit organizations or public housing authorities
for affordable workforce housing near or at transit stations. For the
purposes of this section, "affordable workforce housing" means housing
for a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose
income is at or below one hundred twenty percent of the median income,
adjusted for household size, for the county where the housing is
located.
(iii) The balance of the revenues shall be deposited in a special
purposes account under section 6 of this act.
(e) At least seventy percent of moneys spent under (a)(i) of this
subsection for the period January 1, 1992, through December 31, 2000,
shall be used only for the purchase, design, construction, and
remodeling of performing arts, visual arts, heritage, and cultural
facilities, and for the purchase of fixed assets that will benefit art,
heritage, and cultural organizations. For purposes of this subsection,
fixed assets are tangible objects such as machinery and other equipment
intended to be held or used for ten years or more. Moneys received
under this subsection (3)(e) may be used for payment of principal and
interest on bonds issued for capital projects. Qualifying
organizations receiving moneys under this subsection (3)(e) must be
financially stable and have at least the following:
(i) A legally constituted and working board of directors;
(ii) A record of artistic, heritage, or cultural accomplishments;
(iii) Been in existence and operating for at least two years;
(iv) Demonstrated ability to maintain net current liabilities at
less than thirty percent of general operating expenses;
(v) Demonstrated ability to sustain operational capacity subsequent
to completion of projects or purchase of machinery and equipment; and
(vi) Evidence that there has been independent financial review of
the organization.
(f) At least forty percent of the revenues distributed pursuant to
(a)(i) of this subsection for the period January 1, 2001, through July
1, 2008, shall be deposited in a special account. The account may only
be used for the purposes of (a)(i) of this subsection.
(g) School districts and schools shall not receive revenues
distributed pursuant to (a)(i) of this subsection.
(h) Moneys distributed to art museums, cultural museums, heritage
museums, heritage and preservation programs, the arts, and the
performing arts, and moneys distributed for tourism promotion shall be
in addition to and may not be used to replace or supplant any other
funding by the legislative body of the county.
(i) As used in this section, "tourism promotion" includes
activities intended to attract visitors for overnight stays, arts,
heritage, and cultural events, and recreational, professional, and
amateur sports events. Moneys allocated to tourism promotion in a
class AA county shall be allocated to nonprofit organizations formed
for the express purpose of tourism promotion in the county. Such
organizations shall use moneys from the taxes to promote events in all
parts of the class AA county.
(j) No taxes collected under this section may be used for the
operation or maintenance of a public stadium that is financed directly
or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged. Expenditures for
operation or maintenance include all expenditures other than
expenditures that directly result in new fixed assets or that directly
increase the capacity, life span, or operating economy of existing
fixed assets.
(k) No ad valorem property taxes may be used for debt service on
bonds issued for a public stadium that is financed by bonds to which
the tax is pledged, unless the taxes collected under this section are
or are projected to be insufficient to meet debt service requirements
on such bonds.
(l) If a substantial part of the operation and management of a
public stadium that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds to
which the tax is pledged is performed by a nonpublic entity or if a
public stadium is sold that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds
to which the tax is pledged, any bonds to which the tax is pledged
shall be retired. This subsection (3)(l) does not apply in respect to
a public stadium under chapter 36.102 RCW transferred to, owned by, or
constructed by a public facilities district under chapter 36.100 RCW or
a stadium and exhibition center.
(m) The county shall not lease a public stadium that is financed
directly or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged to, or
authorize the use of the public stadium by, a professional major league
sports franchise unless the sports franchise gives the right of first
refusal to purchase the sports franchise, upon its sale, to local
government. This subsection (3)(m) does not apply to contracts in
existence on April 1, 1986.
If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of this
subsection (3) invalid, then that invalid provision shall be null and
void and the remainder of this section is not affected. ((Section 2,
chapter 264, Laws of 2008 expires July 1, 2009.))
Sec. 2 RCW 82.14.0485 and 1995 3rd sp.s. c 1 s 101 are each
amended to read as follows:
(1) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one
million five hundred thousand or more may impose a sales and use tax in
accordance with the terms of this chapter. The tax is in addition to
other taxes authorized by law and shall be collected from those persons
who are taxable by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW upon
the occurrence of any taxable event within the county. The rate of tax
shall not exceed 0.017 percent of the selling price in the case of a
sales tax or value of the article used in the case of a use tax.
(2) The tax imposed under subsection (1) of this section shall be
deducted from the amount of tax otherwise required to be collected or
paid over to the department of revenue under chapter 82.08 or 82.12
RCW. The department of revenue shall perform the collection of such
taxes on behalf of the county at no cost to the county.
(3) Until the bonds issued for the construction of the baseball
stadium are retired, moneys collected under this section shall only be
used for the purpose of paying the principal and interest payments on
bonds issued by a county to construct a baseball stadium. After the
bonds issued for the construction of the baseball stadium are retired,
moneys collected under this section must be deposited in the special
purposes account under section 6 of this act.
(4) ((No tax may be collected under this section before January 1,
1996, and no tax may be collected under this section unless the taxes
under RCW 82.14.360 are being collected.)) The tax imposed in this
section shall expire ((when the bonds issued for the construction of
the baseball stadium are retired, but not more than twenty years after
the tax is first collected)) on the first day that there is no tax
under RCW 82.14.390 in effect anywhere in the state.
(5) As used in this section, "baseball stadium" means a baseball
stadium with natural turf and a retractable roof or canopy, together
with associated parking facilities, constructed in the largest city in
a county with a population of one million or more.
Sec. 3 RCW 82.14.049 and 2008 c 264 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
The legislative authority of any county may impose a sales and use
tax, in addition to the tax authorized by RCW 82.14.030, upon retail
car rentals within the county that are taxable by the state under
chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW. The rate of tax shall be one percent of
the selling price in the case of a sales tax or rental value of the
vehicle in the case of a use tax. Proceeds of the tax shall not be
used to subsidize any professional sports team and shall be used solely
for the following purposes:
(1) Acquiring, constructing, maintaining, or operating public
sports stadium facilities;
(2) Engineering, planning, financial, legal, or professional
services incidental to public sports stadium facilities;
(3) Youth or amateur sport activities or facilities; ((or))
(4) Debt or refinancing debt issued for the purposes of subsection
(1) of this section; or
(5) For deposit into a special purposes account under section 6 of
this act.
In a county with a population less than one million five hundred
thousand, at least seventy-five percent of the tax imposed under this
section shall be used for the purposes of subsections (1), (2), and (4)
of this section. In a county of one million five hundred thousand or
more, at least seventy-five percent of the tax imposed under this
section shall be used to retire the debt on the stadium under RCW
67.28.180(2)(b)(ii), until that debt is fully retired, and at least
seventy-five percent must be deposited under subsection (5) of this
section after the debt is fully retired.
Sec. 4 RCW 82.14.0494 and 1997 c 220 s 204 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The legislative authority of a county that has created a public
stadium authority to develop a stadium and exhibition center under RCW
36.102.050 may impose a sales and use tax in accordance with this
chapter. The tax is in addition to other taxes authorized by law and
shall be collected from those persons who are taxable by the state
under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW upon the occurrence of any taxable
event within the county. The rate of tax shall be 0.016 percent of the
selling price in the case of a sales tax or value of the article used
in the case of a use tax.
(2) The tax imposed under subsection (1) of this section shall be
deducted from the amount of tax otherwise required to be collected or
paid over to the department of revenue under chapter 82.08 or 82.12
RCW. The department of revenue shall perform the collection of such
taxes on behalf of the county at no cost to the county.
(3) ((Before the issuance of bonds in RCW 43.99N.020, all revenues
collected on behalf of the county under this section shall be
transferred to the public stadium authority.)) After bonds are issued
under RCW 43.99N.020, all revenues collected on behalf of the county
under this section shall be deposited in the stadium and exhibition
center account under RCW 43.99N.060, until the bonds issued for the
construction of a stadium and exhibition center are retired. After the
bonds issued for the construction of a stadium and exhibition center
are retired, all revenues collected on behalf of the county under this
section must be deposited in the special purposes account under section
6 of this act.
(4) The definitions in RCW 36.102.010 apply to this section.
(5) This section expires on the earliest of the following dates:
(a) December 31, 1999, if the conditions for issuance of bonds
under RCW 43.99N.020 have not been met before that date;
(b) The date on which all bonds issued under RCW 43.99N.020 have
been retired; or
(c) Twenty-three years after the date the tax under this section is
first imposed. The tax imposed under this section expires on the first
day that there is no tax under RCW 82.14.390 in effect anywhere in the
state.
Sec. 5 RCW 82.14.360 and 2008 c 86 s 104 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one
million five hundred thousand or more may impose a special stadium
sales and use tax upon the retail sale or use within the county by
restaurants, taverns, and bars of food and beverages that are taxable
by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW. The rate of the tax
shall not exceed five-tenths of one percent of the selling price in the
case of a sales tax, or value of the article used in the case of a use
tax. The tax authorized under this subsection is in addition to any
other taxes authorized by law and shall not be credited against any
other tax imposed upon the same taxable event. As used in this
section, "restaurant" does not include grocery stores, mini-markets, or
convenience stores. A county may not impose the tax authorized in this
subsection after December 31, 2015.
(2) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one
million five hundred thousand or more may impose a special stadium
sales and use tax upon retail car rentals within the county that are
taxable by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW. The rate of
the tax shall not exceed two percent of the selling price in the case
of a sales tax, or rental value of the vehicle in the case of a use
tax. The tax imposed under this subsection is in addition to any other
taxes authorized by law and shall not be credited against any other tax
imposed upon the same taxable event.
(3)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the revenue
from the taxes imposed under the authority of this section shall be
used for the purpose of principal and interest payments on bonds,
issued by the county, to acquire, construct, own, remodel, maintain,
equip, reequip, repair, and operate a baseball stadium. Revenues from
the taxes authorized in this section may be used for design and other
preconstruction costs of the baseball stadium until bonds are issued
for the baseball stadium. The county shall issue bonds, in an amount
determined to be necessary by the public facilities district, for the
district to acquire, construct, own, and equip the baseball stadium.
The county shall have no obligation to issue bonds in an amount greater
than that which would be supported by the tax revenues under this
section, RCW 82.14.0485, and 36.38.010(4) (a) and (b). If the revenue
from the taxes imposed under the authority of this section exceeds the
amount needed for such principal and interest payments in any year, the
excess shall be used solely:
(((a))) (i) For early retirement of the bonds issued for the
baseball stadium; and
(((b))) (ii) If the revenue from the taxes imposed under this
section exceeds the amount needed for the purposes in (a)(i) of this
subsection in any year, the excess shall be placed in a contingency
fund which may only be used to pay unanticipated capital costs on the
baseball stadium, excluding any cost overruns on initial construction.
(b) After the bonds issued for the construction of the baseball
stadium are retired, and except as provided in subsection (6) of this
section, the revenue from the taxes imposed under the authority of this
section must be deposited in the special purposes account under section
6 of this act.
(4) The proceeds of any bonds issued for the baseball stadium shall
be provided to the district.
(5) As used in this section, "baseball stadium" means "baseball
stadium" as defined in RCW 82.14.0485.
(6) ((The taxes imposed under this section shall expire when the
bonds issued for the construction of the baseball stadium are retired,
but not later than twenty years after the taxes are first collected))
(a) After the bonds issued for the construction of the baseball stadium
are retired, the legislative authority of the city with the largest
population within a county with a population of one million five
hundred thousand or more may impose the following special excise taxes
within the city to be used for economic and community development
purposes:
(i) A special sales and use tax upon the retail sale or use within
the city by restaurants, taverns, and bars of food and beverages that
are taxable by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW. The rate
of the tax may not exceed five-tenths of one percent of the selling
price in the case of a sales tax, or value of the article used in the
case of a use tax. The tax authorized under this subsection is in
addition to any other taxes authorized by law, must be credited against
the tax imposed by the county upon the same taxable event under
subsection (1) of this section as provided in (b) of this subsection,
and may not be credited against any other tax imposed upon the same
taxable event. As used in this section, "restaurant" does not include
grocery stores, mini-markets, or convenience stores. A city may not
impose the tax authorized in this subsection after December 31, 2015.
(ii) A special sales and use tax upon retail car rentals within the
city that are taxable by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW.
The rate of the tax may not exceed two percent of the selling price in
the case of a sales tax, or rental value of the vehicle in the case of
a use tax. The tax authorized under this subsection is in addition to
any other taxes authorized by law, must be credited against the tax
imposed by the county upon the same taxable event under subsection (2)
of this section as provided in (b) of this subsection, and may not be
credited against any other tax imposed upon the same taxable event.
(b) The full amount of any taxes imposed by the city under (a)(i)
of this subsection must be credited against the tax imposed by the
county under subsection (1) of this section, and the full amount of any
taxes imposed by the city under (a)(ii) of this subsection must be
credited against the tax imposed by the county under subsection (2) of
this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 67.28 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, money
deposited in a special purposes account under this section may be used
only for one or more of the following purposes within the county:
(a) Funding tourism promotion as defined in RCW 67.28.080;
(b) Funding youth or amateur sports activities or facilities;
(c) Funding regional centers;
(d) Funding performing arts centers;
(e) Maintaining or improving publicly owned stadiums or arenas as
long as improvements can be made without economic harm to existing
tenants of those stadiums or arenas; or
(f) Funding community preservation and development authorities
created in chapter 43.167 RCW.
(2) Beginning in 2013, funding shall be provided annually in an
amount necessary for repairs, reequipping, and capital improvements of
a stadium constructed by a public facilities district under the
authority of RCW 36.100.035.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 Section 1 of this act is necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or
support of the state government and its existing public institutions,
and takes effect July 1, 2009."
SSB 6116 -
By Senator
On page 1, line 4 of the title, after "1975;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 67.28.180, 82.14.0485, 82.14.049, 82.14.0494, and 82.14.360; adding a new section to chapter 67.28 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency."
EFFECT: After the Safeco Field bonds are retired, the city of Seattle is allowed to impose the 2% car rental tax and a .5% food and beverage tax (until 2016) within the city. The taxes are credited against the county tax, so the county still may impose that tax in all other areas of the county. All references to a lease to a basketball team or a multipurpose arena are removed.