HOUSE BILL REPORT

HJR 4210

BYRepresentatives H. Sommers, Brough, Wang, Ebersole, Holland, Silver, Peery, Appelwick, Schoon, R. Fisher, Wineberry and Winsley

Authorizing school districts to modify tax levies for enhancement of education when authorized by the legislature.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Holland, Jones, Phillips, Rayburn, Valle and K. Wilson.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (4)

      Signed by Representatives Fuhrman, Horn, Schoon and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Revenue

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Wang, Chair; Pruitt, Vice Chair; Holland, Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Fraser, Grant, Haugen, Morris, Phillips, Rust, Silver, H. Sommers and Van Luven.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Brumsickle.

House Staff:      Rick Wickman and Bob Longman (786-7136)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON REVENUE MARCH 4, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Constitution allows school districts to levy property taxes in excess of the 1 percent limit when approved by 60 percent of the voters in the district, if the number of favorable votes exceeds 40 percent of the number noting at the previous general election.  The levy may be for a one-year or two-year period.  For most districts the levy is statutorily limited to a maximum of 20 percent of the districts' budget levy base.  Certain "grandfathered" districts may levy up to 30 percent of the budget levy base.

SUMMARY:

The Constitution is amended to allow school districts to levy up to an amount equal to 10 percent of the districts' budget levy base.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON REVENUE:  A 60 percent/40 percent voter approval requirement was added for the new levy.

Revenue:    The bill has a revenue impact.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education) Representative Helen Sommers; Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators; Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors' Association; Bob Maier, Washington Education Association; Perry Keithley, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(Revenue) None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education) Paul Locke, Citizen.

(Revenue) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education) The impact of adopting a permanent 10 percent levy is to provide stability. Although school districts have been very successful in passing levies, levy failure will occur.  The permanent levy will avoid the chaos of levy failure.  Flexibility is still available for districts who wish to use their levy capacity above 10 percent.

(Revenue) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education) Any permanent levy should be opposed.  The real aid should be to get rid of levies, not make them permanent.

(Revenue) None Presented.