BILL REQ. #: S-0680.2
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/24/11. Referred to Committee on Economic Development, Trade & Innovation.
AN ACT Relating to authorizing community economic revitalization board funding to benefit innovation partnership zones; and amending RCW 43.160.010 and 43.160.020.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 43.160.010 and 2008 c 327 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The legislature finds that it is the public policy of the state
of Washington to direct financial resources toward the fostering of
economic development through the stimulation of investment and job
opportunities and the retention of sustainable existing employment for
the general welfare of the inhabitants of the state. Reducing
unemployment and reducing the time citizens remain jobless is important
for the economic welfare of the state. A valuable means of fostering
economic development is the construction of public facilities which
contribute to the stability and growth of the state's economic base.
Expenditures made for these purposes as authorized in this chapter are
declared to be in the public interest, and constitute a proper use of
public funds. A community economic revitalization board is needed
which shall aid the development of economic opportunities. The general
objectives of the board should include:
(a) Strengthening the economies of areas of the state which have
experienced or are expected to experience chronically high unemployment
rates or below average growth in their economies;
(b) Encouraging the diversification of the economies of the state
and regions within the state in order to provide greater seasonal and
cyclical stability of income and employment;
(c) Encouraging wider access to financial resources for both large
and small industrial development projects;
(d) Encouraging new economic development or expansions to maximize
employment;
(e) Encouraging the retention of viable existing firms and
employment; ((and))
(f) Providing incentives for expansion of employment opportunities
for groups of state residents that have been less successful relative
to other groups in efforts to gain permanent employment; and
(g) Enhancing job and business growth through facility development
and other improvements in innovation partnership zones designated under
RCW 43.330.270.
(2) The legislature also finds that the state's economic
development efforts can be enhanced by, in certain instances, providing
funds to improve state highways, county roads, or city streets for
industries considering locating or expanding in this state.
(3) The legislature finds it desirable to provide a process whereby
the need for diverse public works improvements necessitated by planned
economic development can be addressed in a timely fashion and with
coordination among all responsible governmental entities.
(4) The legislature also finds that the state's economic
development efforts can be enhanced by, in certain instances, providing
funds to assist development of telecommunications infrastructure that
supports business development, retention, and expansion in the state.
(5) The legislature also finds that the state's economic
development efforts can be enhanced by providing funds to improve
markets for those recyclable materials representing a large fraction of
the waste stream. The legislature finds that public facilities which
result in private construction of processing or remanufacturing
facilities for recyclable materials are eligible for consideration from
the board.
(6) The legislature finds that sharing economic growth statewide is
important to the welfare of the state. The ability of communities to
pursue business and job retention, expansion, and development
opportunities depends on their capacity to ready necessary economic
development project plans, sites, permits, and infrastructure for
private investments. Project-specific planning, predevelopment, and
infrastructure are critical ingredients for economic development. It
is, therefore, the intent of the legislature to increase the amount of
funding available through the community economic revitalization board
and to authorize flexibility for available resources in these areas to
help fund planning, predevelopment, and construction costs of
infrastructure and facilities and sites that foster economic vitality
and diversification.
Sec. 2 RCW 43.160.020 and 2009 c 565 s 35 are each amended to
read as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in
this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Board" means the community economic revitalization board.
(2) "Department" means the department of commerce.
(3) "Local government" or "political subdivision" means any port
district, county, city, town, special purpose district, and any other
municipal corporations or quasi-municipal corporations in the state
providing for public facilities under this chapter.
(4) "Public facilities" means a project of a local government or a
federally recognized Indian tribe for the planning, acquisition,
construction, repair, reconstruction, replacement, rehabilitation, or
improvement of: Bridges((,)); roads((,)); research, testing, training,
and incubation facilities in areas designated as innovation partnership
zones under RCW 43.330.270; buildings or structures; domestic and
industrial water, earth stabilization, sanitary sewer, storm sewer,
railroad, electricity, telecommunications, transportation, natural gas,
((buildings or structures,)) and port facilities((,)); all for the
purpose of job creation, job retention, or job expansion.
(5) "Rural county" means a county with a population density of
fewer than one hundred persons per square mile or a county smaller than
two hundred twenty-five square miles, as determined by the office of
financial management and published each year by the department for the
period July 1st to June 30th.