State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/25/11.
AN ACT Relating to providing a congestion reduction charge to fund the operational and capital needs of transit agencies; adding a new section to chapter 82.80 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 46.68 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature recognizes that public
transportation provides many benefits to the citizens of the state and
the environment, including through public transportation's ability to
alleviate congestion and offset the burdens placed by general vehicular
traffic on the state's transportation infrastructure. In these
challenging economic times, many transit agencies find themselves
struggling to continue to provide a level of service that reduces
congestion.
The legislature further recognizes that King county conducted a
regional transit task force in 2010 that considered a policy framework
for the potential future growth and, if necessary, contraction of King
county's transit system. The task force members were selected to
represent a broad diversity of interests and perspectives. The task
force recommendations, which were unanimously accepted, addressed key
elements, such as the adoption of performance measures, controlling
operating costs, developing policy guidance for making service
reductions, and clear and transparent guidelines for service
allocation. As a result of the work done by the task force and King
county's commitment to comply with the recommendations, it is the
intent of the legislature that King county be provided the opportunity
to impose a temporary congestion reduction charge, which is separate
and distinct from the base motor vehicle license fee, that can help
address its revenue shortfalls during this economic crisis and allow it
to continue reducing congestion and the corresponding burdens placed on
the highway system on some of the state's most crowded corridors.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 82.80 RCW
to read as follows:
(1)(a) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the
governing body of a county that has assumed the rights, powers,
functions, and obligations of a metropolitan municipal corporation
under chapter 36.56 RCW and is operating a public transportation system
may impose, if approved by a majority of the voters within that county
or a two-thirds majority of the governing body, an annual congestion
reduction charge of up to twenty dollars per vehicle registered in the
boundaries of the county for each vehicle subject to vehicle license
fees under RCW 46.17.350(1) (a), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (j), (n),
(o), (p), or (q) and for each vehicle subject to gross weight license
fees under RCW 46.17.355 with an unladen weight of six thousand pounds
or less.
(b) Prior to the imposition of a congestion reduction charge
authorized under (a) of this subsection, a governing body must complete
a congestion reduction plan indicating the proposed expenditures of the
proceeds of the congestion reduction charge.
(c) If a governing body that imposes a congestion reduction charge
authorized under (a) of this subsection completed a regional transit
task force evaluating system improvements and efficiencies within two
years prior to the imposition of the charge, the proceeds from the
charge must be expended in a manner consistent with the recommendations
of the regional transit task force.
(d) A governing body that imposes a congestion reduction charge
authorized under (a) of this subsection must complete a report by July
1, 2012, detailing the expenditures of the proceeds of the congestion
reduction charge through June 1, 2012.
(e) A governing body that imposes a congestion reduction charge
authorized under (a) of this subsection must complete a report by June
1, 2014, detailing the expenditures of the proceeds of the congestion
reduction charge.
(2) The governing body of a county that has assumed the rights,
powers, functions, and obligations of a metropolitan municipal
corporation under chapter 36.56 RCW and is operating a public
transportation system may not impose a congestion reduction charge
authorized under subsection (1)(a) of this section for a passenger-only
ferry transportation improvement, unless the charge is first approved
by a majority of the voters within that county.
(3) The governing body of a county that has assumed the rights,
powers, functions, and obligations of a metropolitan municipal
corporation under chapter 36.56 RCW and is operating a public
transportation system shall contract with the department of licensing
as provided under section 3 of this act for the collection of the
congestion reduction charge.
(4) A congestion reduction charge imposed under this section may
not be assessed until six months after approval.
(5) A congestion reduction charge imposed under this section
applies only for vehicle registration renewals and is effective upon
the registration renewal date as provided by the department of
licensing.
(6) The following vehicles are exempt from the congestion reduction
charge imposed under this section:
(a) Farm tractors or farm vehicles as defined in RCW 46.04.180 and
46.04.181;
(b) Off-road vehicles as defined in RCW 46.04.365;
(c) Nonhighway vehicles as defined in RCW 46.09.310;
(d) Vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW and the
international registration plan; and
(e) Snowmobiles as defined in RCW 46.04.546.
(7) The authority to impose a congestion reduction charge
authorized in subsection (1)(a) of this section expires with vehicle
registrations that expire two years after the imposition of the charge
or no later than June 30, 2014, whichever comes first.
(8) A congestion reduction charge authorized under subsection
(1)(a) of this section may only be imposed after June 30, 2014, if
approved by a majority of the voters within a county that has assumed
the rights, powers, functions, and obligations of a metropolitan
municipal corporation under chapter 36.56 RCW and is operating a public
transportation system.
(9) This section expires December 31, 2014.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 46.68 RCW
to read as follows:
Whenever the department enters into a contract with the governing
body of a county that has assumed the rights, powers, functions, and
obligations of a metropolitan municipal corporation under chapter 36.56
RCW and is operating a public transportation system for the collection
of congestion reduction charges authorized under section 2 of this act:
(1) The contract must require that the governing body provide any
information specified by the department to identify the vehicle owners
who owe the congestion reduction charges, and must specify that it is
the responsibility of the governing body to ensure that the congestion
reduction charges are appropriately applied;
(2) The department is not responsible for the collection of
congestion reduction charges until a date agreed to by both parties as
specified in the contract;
(3) The department shall deduct a percentage amount as provided in
the contract, not to exceed three percent of the charges collected,
necessary to reimburse the department for the costs incurred for the
collection of the congestion reduction charges; and
(4) The department shall remit remaining proceeds to the custody of
the state treasurer. The state treasurer shall distribute the proceeds
to the governing body on a monthly basis.