AN ACT Relating to apportioning a sales and use tax for zoos, aquariums, wildlife preserves, and regional parks; and amending RCW 82.14.400.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 82.14.400 and 1999 c 104 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Upon the joint request of a metropolitan park district ((~~and~~)), a city with a population of more than one hundred fifty thousand, and a county legislative authority in a county with a national park and a population of more than five hundred thousand and less than one million ((~~may~~)) five hundred thousand, the county shall submit an authorizing proposition to the county voters, fixing and imposing a sales and use tax in accordance with this chapter for the purposes designated in subsection ((~~(3)~~)) (4) of this section and identified in the joint request. Such proposition must be placed on a ballot for a special or general election to be held no later than one year after the date of the joint request.

(2) The proposition is approved if it receives the votes of a majority of those voting on the proposition.

(3) The tax authorized in this section is in addition to any other taxes authorized by law and shall be collected from those persons who are taxable by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW upon the occurrence of any taxable event within the county. The rate of tax shall equal no more than one-tenth of one percent of the selling price in the case of a sales tax, or value of the article used, in the case of a use tax.

(4) Moneys received from any tax imposed under this section shall be used solely for the purpose of providing funds for:

(a) Costs associated with financing, design, acquisition, construction, equipping, operating, maintaining, remodeling, repairing, reequipping, or improvement of zoo, aquarium, and wildlife preservation and display facilities that are currently accredited by the American zoo and aquarium association; or

(b) Those costs associated with (a) of this subsection and costs related to parks located within a county described in subsection (1) of this section.

(5) The department of revenue shall perform the collection of such taxes on behalf of the county at no cost to the county. In lieu of the charge for the administration and collection of local sales and use taxes under RCW 82.14.050 from which the county is exempt under this subsection (5), a percentage of the tax revenues authorized by this section equal to one-half of the maximum percentage provided in RCW 82.14.050 shall be transferred annually to the department of community, trade, and economic development, or its successor agency, from the funds allocated under subsection (6)(b) of this section for a period of twelve years from the first date of distribution of funds under subsection (6)(b) of this section. The department of community, trade, and economic development, or its successor agency, shall use funds transferred to it pursuant to this subsection (5) to provide, operate, and maintain community-based housing under chapter 43.185 RCW for persons who are mentally ill.

(6) If the joint request and the authorizing proposition include provisions for funding those costs included within subsection (4)(b) of this section, the tax revenues authorized by this section shall be allocated annually as follows:

(a) Fifty percent to the zoo and aquarium advisory authority; and

(b) Fifty percent to be distributed on a per capita basis as set out in the most recent population figures for unincorporated and incorporated areas only within that county, as determined by the office of financial management, solely for parks, as follows: To any metropolitan park district, to cities and towns not contained within a metropolitan park district, and the remainder to the county. Moneys received under this subsection (6)(b) by a county may not be used to replace or supplant existing per capita funding.

(7) Funds shall be distributed annually by the county treasurer to the county, and cities and towns located within the county, in the manner set out in subsection (6)(b) of this section.

(8) Prior to expenditure of any funds received by the county under subsection (6)(b) of this section, the county shall establish a process which considers needs throughout the unincorporated areas of the county in consultation with community advisory councils established by ordinance.

(9) By December 31, 2005, and thereafter, the county or any city with a population greater than eighty thousand must provide at least one dollar match for every two dollars received under this section.

(10) Properties subject to a memorandum of agreement between the federal bureau of land management, the advisory council on historic preservation, and the Washington state historic preservation officer have priority for funding from money received under subsection (6)(b) of this section for implementation of the stipulations in the memorandum of agreement.

(a) At least one hundred thousand dollars of the first four years of allocations under subsection (6)(b) of this section, to be matched by the county or city with one dollar for every two dollars received, shall be used to implement the stipulations of the memorandum of agreement and for other historical, archaeological, architectural, and cultural preservation and improvements related to the properties.

(b) The amount in (a) of this subsection shall come equally from the allocations to the county and to the city in which the properties are located, unless otherwise agreed to by the county and the city.

(c) The amount in (a) of this subsection shall not be construed to displace or be offered in lieu of any lease payment from a county or city to the state for the properties in question.