FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2266

                          C 16 L 94

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Authorizing public works board project loans.

By Representatives Moak, Ogden, Sehlin, Patterson, Wood and Springer; by request of Department of Community Development.

House Committee on Capital Budget

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  The public works trust fund was created by the Legislature in 1985 as a revolving loan fund program to assist local governments and special purpose districts with infrastructure projects.  The Public Works Board, within the Department of Community Development, is authorized to make low-interest or interest-free loans to finance the repair, replacement or improvement of the following public works systems:  bridges, roads, water systems, and sanitary and storm sewer projects.  Growth-related public works projects, port districts and school districts are not eligible to receive loans through the Public Works Board.

The public works trust fund receives its funding from utility and sales taxes on water, sewer and garbage collection, from a portion of the real estate excise tax, and from loan repayments.  The Department of Community Development received an appropriation of $93,876,640 from the public works trust fund for the 1993-95 biennium.

Each year, the Public Works Board is required to submit a list of projects to the Legislature for approval.  The Legislature may delete a project from the list but may not add any projects or change the order of project priorities.

Summary:  As recommended by the Public Works Board for fiscal year 1994, the following are authorized:  loans for 48 public works projects totaling $44,835,775; and a $1 million loan pool for emergency public works projects.

The public works projects authorized for funding fall into the following categories:

(1)25 water projects for a total of $20,403,579;

(2)10 sewer projects for a total $10,600,347;

(3)8 road projects for a total of $8,068,649;

(4)4 storm sewer projects for a total of $5,463,200; and

(5)1 bridge project for a total of $300,000.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  94 0

Senate 48 0

Effective:  March 21, 1994