FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1631

                                  C 277 L 89

BYRepresentatives Ferguson, Haugen, Van Luven, Braddock, Hine, Nelson, May and Day

Financing convention centers through local improvement districts.

House Committe on Local Government

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

In order to finance a variety of public facilities, including streets, sidewalks, sewer systems, and water systems, cities and towns are authorized to create local improvement districts and to impose special assessments within the local improvement districts.

Cities and towns are authorized to construct convention centers.

SUMMARY:

A certain type of city is authorized to create a local improvement district to finance the construction of a convention center.  The city must have been incorporated before January 1, 1982, must be located in a county with a population of more than 1 million, and must have authority to impose a special excise tax on hotel/motel room rental charges.  This authority does not extend to Seattle.  The special assessments can be used only to cover a funding shortfall that occurs when the receipts from the tax on local hotel/motel room rental charges are insufficient to fund the annual debt service costs for construction of a convention center.  The special assessments may not be imposed upon single-family or multi-family permanent residences.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 98   0

      Senate    37     6 (Senate amended)

      House 97   0 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989