SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5609

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

State & Local Government, February 12, 2001

Title:  An act relating to reconciling conflicting provisions in laws pertaining to cities and towns.

Brief Description:  Reconciling conflicting provisions in laws pertaining to cities and towns.

Sponsors:  Senators Patterson, Horn, McCaslin and Gardner.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  2/7/01, 2/12/01 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Gardner, Hale, Haugen, Horn, Kline, McCaslin, Roach, T. Sheldon and Swecker.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Background:  A code city may create a board of adjustment for the purpose of hearing and deciding disputes arising from decisions made by the city=s planning agency.  An appeal may be made to superior court within ten days of the board=s action.

In 1994, counties, cities and towns were given the authority to incur, without a vote of the people, indebtedness up to 1.5 percent of the value of the taxable property in the city, county or town.  This was an increase from the previous statutory limitation of 0.75 percent which also applied to code cities.  It appears that when the nonvoter-approved debt capacity of cities, counties and towns was increased, code cities= debt capacity was inadvertently not included in this increase.

Summary of Bill:  The period for appeal to superior court of code cities= boards of adjustment decisions is increased from ten to 21 days.

Code cities= ability to incur indebtedness without a vote of the people is increased from 0.75 percent to 1.5 percent of the value of the taxable property in the city.  This is the same limitation that applies to cities, towns and counties under general law.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  There are laws on the books that apply to "all cities," yet there is also left in the books law just for code cities on the same subject.  Code cities have been using the "all cities" sections anyway.  This bill just corrects a statutory oversight.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Ron Rosenbloom, AWC (pro).