HOUSE BILL REPORT

HJR 4219

BYRepresentatives Haugen, Ferguson, Cooper, Wood, Nutley, Winsley, Appelwick, Rasmussen, Morris, Wang and Jones

Amending Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution to authorize levies by library districts.

House Committe on Revenue

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (13)

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

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (4)

      Signed by Representatives Holland, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Fuhrman and Van Luven.

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

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON REVENUE MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Property tax levies are limited to specific rates per $1,000 of assessed value.  Article VII, section 2 of the constitution limits all regular levies to 1 percent of value.  Only regular levies of the Ports and Public Utility Districts are currently outside of the 1 percent limitation.  Statutorily, regular levies for all other districts except the state are limited to $5.55 per $1,000 of assessed value.  Before 1988, the statutory limitation was $9.15 per $1,000 of assessed value.  In 1988, the Legislature removed the state levy for common schools ($3.60 per $1,000 of assessed value) from this limit, thereby reducing the $9.15 limit to $5.55.

SUMMARY:

Library district regular property tax levies of $.50 per $1,000 of assessed value are placed outside the constitutional 1 percent limitation.  The proposed constitutional amendment is to be placed before the voters for their approval or rejection in November, 1989.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.