S-2189               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5843

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senators McCaslin, Johnson, Gaspard, Smitherman, Warnke and Wojahn)

Read first time 3/1/89.

AN ACT Relating to metropolitan park districts; amending RCW 35.61.100, 35.61.110, and 35.61.132; and adding new sections to chapter 35.61 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 35.61 RCW to read as follows:

          A metropolitan park district may issue and sell revenue bonds as provided in chapter 39.46 RCW to be made payable from the operating revenues of the metropolitan park district.

        Sec. 2.  Section 35.61.100, chapter 7, Laws of 1965 as last amended by section 21, chapter 186, Laws of 1984 and RCW 35.61.100 are each amended to read as follows:

          Every metropolitan park district through its board of commissioners may contract indebtedness and evidence such indebtedness by the issuance and sale of warrants, short-term obligations as provided by chapter 39.50 RCW, or general obligation bonds, for park, boulevard, aviation landings, playgrounds, and parkway purposes, and the extension and maintenance thereof, not exceeding, together with all other outstanding nonvoter approved general indebtedness, ((three-fortieths)) one-eighth of one percent of the value of the taxable property in such metropolitan park district, as the term "value of the taxable property" is defined in RCW 39.36.015.  General obligation bonds shall not be issued with a maximum term in excess of twenty years.  Such general obligation bonds shall be issued and sold in accordance with chapter 39.46 RCW.

        Sec. 3.  Section 35.61.110, chapter 7, Laws of 1965 as amended by section 15, chapter 42, Laws of 1970 ex. sess. and RCW 35.61.110 are each amended to read as follows:

          Every metropolitan park district may contract indebtedness ((in excess of three-fortieths of one percent of the value of the taxable property but)) not exceeding in amount, together with existing voter-approved indebtedness and nonvoter-approved indebtedness, equal to two and one-half percent of the value of the taxable property in said district, as the term "value of the taxable property" is defined in RCW 39.36.015, whenever three-fifths of the voters voting at an election held in the metropolitan park district assent thereto; the election may be either a special or a general election, and the park commissioners of the metropolitan park district may cause the question of incurring such indebtedness, and issuing negotiable bonds of such metropolitan park district, to be submitted to the qualified voters of the district at any time.

        Sec. 4.  Section 35.61.132, chapter 7, Laws of 1965 and RCW 35.61.132 are each amended to read as follows:

          Every metropolitan park district may, by unanimous decision of its board of park commissioners, sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property acquired for park or recreational purposes when such property is ((no longer suitable)) declared surplus for park or other recreational purposes:  PROVIDED, That where the property is acquired by donation or dedication for park or recreational purposes, the consent of the donor or dedicator, his or her heirs, successors, or assigns is first obtained if the consent of the donor is required in the instrument conveying the property to the metropolitan park district.  In the event the donor or dedicator, his or her heirs, successors, or assigns cannot be located after a reasonable search, the metropolitan park district may petition the superior court in the county where the property is located for approval of the sale.  If sold, all sales shall be by public bids and sale made only to the highest and best bidder.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 35.61 RCW to read as follows:

          A metropolitan park district which contains a city with a population greater than one hundred thousand may commission its own police officers with full police powers to enforce the laws and regulations of the city or county on metropolitan park district property.    Police officers initially employed after June 30, 1989, pursuant to this section shall be required to successfully complete basic law enforcement training in accordance with chapter 43.101 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 35.61 RCW to read as follows:

          The board of park commissioners of any metropolitan park district which includes a city with a population greater than one hundred thousand may submit to the electorate of the territory sought to be annexed a proposition that all property within the area annexed shall, upon annexation, be assessed and taxed at the same rate and on the same basis as the property of such annexing metropolitan park district to pay for all or any portion of the then outstanding indebtedness of the metropolitan park district.