BILL REQ. #:  H-1656.1 

Read first time 02/26/13.   Referred to Committee on Finance.

     BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:
     THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article VII of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new section to read as follows:

     Article VII, section . . .. Notwithstanding any provision of this Constitution, the legislature may by general law authorize the legislative authority of any county, city, or town to designate boundaries within its jurisdiction containing only that property which that legislative authority determines will be increased in value by reason of public improvements within those designated boundaries, and may provide that all or a portion of regular or special ad valorem taxes levied within those boundaries against the value of property may be used to pay for the specified public improvements, to pay obligations issued or incurred to finance the specified public improvements and to pay for specified community benefit activities that contribute to social equity and environmental goals for the designated area, as established by the legislative authority creating the same. The levying, collection, allocation, or use of all or a portion of regular or special ad valorem taxes within those boundaries for the purposes described in the preceding sentence does not constitute a lack of uniformity of taxation on a class of property under section 1 or 9 of this article. Special ad valorem taxes levied under this section must be uniform upon the same class of property within the designated boundaries. Special ad valorem taxes levied within those boundaries are not subject to the limitations imposed by section 2 of this article, and the rate of special taxation is not included in the computation of the aggregate tax limitations for purposes of section 2 of this article. A pledge of special ad valorem tax revenues, of a portion of regular ad valorem tax revenues levied within those boundaries, of a guaranty fund levy or of special assessments to secure obligations issued or incurred for the specified public improvements does not cause those obligations to constitute "debt" or "indebtedness" of the state, a county, city, town, school district, or other municipal corporation under Article VIII of this Constitution. Regular ad valorem tax revenues of the state, if apportioned pursuant to legislation adopted in accordance with this section are not included as "general state revenues" under Article VIII, section 1(c) of this Constitution and are not subject to appropriation under Article VIII, section 4 of this Constitution.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.