AN
ACT Relating to eliminating the time limit on regular tax levies for medical
care and services; amending RCW 84.52.069 and 29.30.111; and creating a new
section.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
84.52.069 and 1995 c 318 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
As used in this section, "taxing district" means a county, emergency
medical service district, city or town, public hospital district, urban
emergency medical service district, or fire protection district.
(2)
A taxing district may impose additional regular property tax levies in an
amount equal to fifty cents or less per thousand dollars of the assessed value
of property in the taxing district ((in each year for six consecutive years
when specifically authorized so to do)). The tax shall be imposed (a)
each year for six consecutive years, (b) each year for ten consecutive years,
or (c) permanently. A tax levy under this section must be specifically
authorized by a majority of at least three-fifths of the registered voters
thereof approving a proposition authorizing the levies submitted at a general
or special election, at which election the number of persons voting
"yes" on the proposition shall constitute three-fifths of a number
equal to forty percent of the total number of voters voting in such taxing
district at the last preceding general election when the number of registered
voters voting on the proposition does not exceed forty percent of the total
number of voters voting in such taxing district in the last preceding general
election; or by a majority of at least three-fifths of the registered voters
thereof voting on the proposition when the number of registered voters voting
on the proposition exceeds forty percent of the total number of voters voting
in such taxing district in the last preceding general election. Ballot
propositions shall conform with RCW 29.30.111. A taxing district shall not
submit to the voters at the same election multiple propositions to impose a
levy under this section.
(3)
A taxing district imposing a permanent levy under this section shall provide
for separate accounting of expenditures of the revenues generated by the levy.
The taxing district shall maintain a statement of the accounting which shall be
updated at least every two years and shall be available to the public upon
request at no charge.
(4)
A taxing district imposing a permanent levy under this section shall provide
for a referendum procedure to apply to the ordinance or resolution imposing the
tax. This referendum procedure shall specify that a referendum petition may be
filed at any time with a filing officer, as identified in the ordinance or
resolution. Within ten days, the filing officer shall confer with the
petitioner concerning form and style of the petition, issue the petition an
identification number, and secure an accurate, concise, and positive ballot
title from the designated local official. The petitioner shall have thirty
days in which to secure the signatures of not less than fifteen percent of the
registered voters of the taxing district, as of the last general election, upon
petition forms which contain the ballot title and the full text of the measure
to be referred. The filing officer shall verify the sufficiency of the
signatures on the petition and, if sufficient valid signatures are properly
submitted, shall certify the referendum measure to the next election within the
taxing district if one is to be held within one hundred eighty days from the
date of filing of the referendum petition, or at a special election to be
called for that purpose in accordance with RCW 29.13.020.
The
referendum procedure provided in this subsection shall be exclusive in all
instances for any taxing district imposing the tax under this section and shall
supersede the procedures provided under all other statutory or charter
provisions for initiative or referendum which might otherwise apply.
(((3)))
(5) Any tax imposed under this section shall be used only for the
provision of emergency medical care or emergency medical services, including
related personnel costs, training for such personnel, and related equipment,
supplies, vehicles and structures needed for the provision of emergency medical
care or emergency medical services.
(((4)))
(6) If a county levies a tax under this section, no taxing district
within the county may levy a tax under this section. No other taxing district
may levy a tax under this section if another taxing district has levied a tax
under this section within its boundaries: PROVIDED, That if a county levies
less than fifty cents per thousand dollars of the assessed value of property,
then any other taxing district may levy a tax under this section equal to the
difference between the rate of the levy by the county and fifty cents:
PROVIDED FURTHER, That if a taxing district within a county levies this tax, and
the voters of the county subsequently approve a levying of this tax, then the
amount of the taxing district levy within the county shall be reduced, when the
combined levies exceed fifty cents. Whenever a tax is levied county-wide, the
service shall, insofar as is feasible, be provided throughout the county:
PROVIDED FURTHER, That no county-wide levy proposal may be placed on the ballot
without the approval of the legislative authority of each city exceeding fifty
thousand population within the county: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That this section
and RCW 36.32.480 shall not prohibit any city or town from levying an annual
excess levy to fund emergency medical services: AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, That if
a county proposes to impose tax levies under this section, no other ballot
proposition authorizing tax levies under this section by another taxing
district in the county may be placed before the voters at the same election at
which the county ballot proposition is placed: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That any
taxing district emergency medical service levy that is limited in duration
and that is authorized subsequent to a county emergency medical service
levy that is limited in duration, shall expire concurrently with the
county emergency medical service levy.
(((5)))
(7) The limitations in RCW 84.52.043 shall not apply to the tax levy
authorized in this section.
(((6)))
(8) If a ballot proposition approved under subsection (2) of this section
did not impose the maximum allowable levy amount authorized for the taxing district
under this section, any future increase up to the maximum allowable levy amount
must be specifically authorized by the voters in accordance with subsection (2)
of this section at a general or special election.
(9)
The limitation in RCW 84.55.010 shall not apply to the first levy imposed
pursuant to this section following the approval of such levy by the voters
pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.
Sec.
2. RCW
29.30.111 and 1984 c 131 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The ballot proposition authorizing a taxing district to impose the regular
property tax levies authorized in RCW 36.69.145, 67.38.130, or 84.52.069 shall
contain in substance the following:
"Shall
the . . . . . . (insert the name of the taxing
district) be authorized to impose regular property tax levies of
. . . . . . (insert the maximum rate) or less per
thousand dollars of assessed valuation for each of
. . . . . . (insert the maximum number of years
allowable) consecutive years?
Yes................. G
No ................. G"
Each
voter shall indicate either "Yes" or "No" on his or her
ballot in accordance with the procedures established under this title.
(2)
The ballot proposition authorizing a taxing district to impose a permanent
regular tax levy under RCW 84.52.069 shall contain the following:
"Shall
the . . . . . (insert the name of the taxing district) be
authorized to impose a PERMANENT regular property levy of
. . . . . (insert the maximum rate) or less per thousand
dollars of assessed valuation?
Yes
. . . . . . . . . G
No
. . . . . . . . . G"
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3. This
act applies to levies authorized after the effective date of this section.
