HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1771

BYRepresentatives Fraser, Cooper and Wood

Changing the fee on applications for current use classifications.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Republican Member; Horn, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley, Phillips, Raiter, Rayburn, Todd, Wolfe, Wood and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 15, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Article VII, Section 11, of the State Constitution permits the Legislature to enact legislation taxing agricultural lands, timberland, and other open space lands on the basis of the current use of the land.

Legislation has been enacted providing for current use taxation of all timberland in contiguous ownership of 20 acres or more.  Such lands are placed into this program automatically.

In addition, legislation has been enacted establishing an open space program of valuing land at its current use for property taxation purposes, with separate categories for agricultural lands, timberlands that are not under the normal timberland current use program, and other open space lands.  Lands are placed under the open spaces program only if the landowner applies for such treatment.  The application fee may not exceed $30.  If the application is not approved, the $30 is returned to the applicant.

SUMMARY:

The open space laws are amended to delete both the $30 ceiling on application fees for the open space taxation program and the requirement that an application fee be returned to an unsuccessful applicant.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Fred Saeger, Washington Association of County Officials; and Randy Scott, Washington State Association of Counties.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Most of the easy to figure lands have already been placed into open spaces.  Only the marginal cases remain.  It costs more than $30 to review these cases.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 98.