BILL REQ. #: H-4972.1
State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/10/04.
AN ACT Relating to the blue ribbon commission on land use and local government finance; creating new sections; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that there have been
numerous reports in the last decade on city and county finances that
focused on the allocation of resources to best meet services needs of
their citizens and on the changes affecting state and local revenues
needed to provide these services. The information from these reports
have presented a general picture of the complex and changing nature of
revenues and expenditures in the fiscal systems of city and county
governments.
Difficult economic times and limitations on local revenues have
forced local governments to aggressively pursue revenues from all
sources. These pursuits may lead to policy decisions that address
current budget needs, while simultaneously resulting in land use
decisions that may detrimentally affect the long-term health of
communities. The legislature finds that there is a need to understand
what impact the current trends in city and county revenue sources and
expenditures may have on land-use planning and meeting the goals of the
growth management act, especially goals regarding locating development
where adequate facilities exist, reducing sprawl, encouraging efficient
transportation systems, and providing affordable housing.
The legislature, therefore, intends to create the blue ribbon
commission on land use and local government finance to understand and
make recommendations on the impact that current trends in city and
county revenue sources and expenditures may have on land-use decisions
made by counties and cities and meeting the goals of the growth
management act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The blue ribbon commission on land use and
local government finance is hereby established. The commission's goal
shall be to understand which revenue sources cities and counties rely
on, how these sources have changed over the past decade, and how local
government financing structures affect land use decisions. The
commission shall review city and county expenditures and their
projection for change; the relationship between the state, cities, and
counties regarding revenue sources and expenditures; and the
relationship between the revenue sources, expenditures, and land
development policies.
In fulfilling its responsibilities, the commission shall evaluate
the trends in city and county revenue sources and expenditures and the
influence that those trends have on growth, development, and compliance
with the goals of the growth management act. The commission shall make
recommendations for the purpose of making the state and local
government finance structure more equitable in meeting the
responsibilities of providing services to their citizens and meeting
the goals of the growth management act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 The commission shall consist of not more
than thirteen members. The commission shall consist of four
legislative members, seven members appointed by the governor, and two
ex officio members. The legislative members shall consist of one
member from each major caucus selected by the leadership of each
caucus. The seven members appointed by the governor shall include six
members with local government finance or land use expertise and one at-
large member. Four members appointed by the governor must be nominated
by associations chosen by the commission's legislative members and must
be:
(1) One member with expertise in city finance, including taxes,
fees, impact fees, and permit fees;
(2) One member with expertise in county finance, including taxes,
fees, impact fees, and permit fees;
(3) One member with expertise in city land use; and
(4) One member with expertise in county land use.
Two members appointed by the governor shall have expertise in
environmental land use and intergovernmental finance. One member
appointed by the governor shall be a member at large and serve as chair
of the commission. The ex officio members are the director of the
department of community, trade, and economic development and the
director of the department of revenue, or their designees, and such ex
officio members may not vote on commission matters.
Staffing for the commission shall be provided by the department of
community, trade, and economic development and the department of
revenue, with additional staff to be provided by other state agencies
and the legislature, as may be required. State agencies shall provide
the commission with information and assistance as needed.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 The commission shall:
(1) Consider the current system of city and county revenue sources
and expenditures, including reviewing previous legislative reports, and
how they have changed during the previous ten years;
(2) Consider the projections of population, revenues, and
expenditures in how cities and counties will meet their short-term and
long-term needs and obligations;
(3) Consider the requirements, limits, and flexibility of revenue
sources for city and county government in providing the services to
their citizens;
(4) Consider how the current financial structure of city and county
governments, including taxes and fees, influence land use and
development decisions and compliance with the goals of the growth
management act;
(5) Consider how current financial structures influence annexation
and the type of development, including the balance between commercial,
residential, and industrial development, the cooperation or competition
with adjoining jurisdictions, and the pattern of new development in
relationship to existing commercial and residential areas in the
community and region and what effect this pattern has on a community's
infrastructure and quality of life;
(6) Detail the progress in each of the buildable land counties to
date in achieving annexation or incorporation of its urban growth area
since adoption of the county's county-wide planning policies to the
present time by documenting:
(a) The number of acres annexed;
(b) The number of acres incorporated;
(c) The number of residents annexed, incorporated, and remaining in
urban unincorporated areas; and
(d) The characteristic of urban land remaining unincorporated in
terms of assessed value, infrastructure deficits, service needs, land
use, commercial development, and residential development;
(7) Determine the characteristics of remaining urban unincorporated
areas and current statutes, and estimate when all urban unincorporated
areas in each county will be annexed or incorporated, based on the rate
of progress to date;
(8) Survey the counties to identify those obstacles which, in their
experience, slow or prohibit annexation;
(9) Survey the cities in each of the subject counties to identify
obstacles, which in their experience, slow or prohibit annexation;
(10) Survey residents of urban unincorporated areas in each of the
subject counties to identify their attitudes towards annexation or
incorporation;
(11) Assess the role and statutory authority of the boundary review
board and how altering their role and authority might facilitate
annexation; and
(12) Make recommendations to improve the state and local government
finance system to encourage cooperation among jurisdictions for
solutions that meet the goals of the growth management act. The
commission shall also make recommendations to improve the
interdependence of state and local governments in providing services,
to improve flexibility of revenue sources, and to improve the balance
between providing basic services and the revenue base needed to finance
them.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 The commission shall convene commencing June
1, 2004, and shall complete its work by June 30, 2006. The commission
shall submit a report to the governor and the appropriate committees of
the legislature stating its findings, conclusions, and recommendations
not later than November 1, 2005.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 Nonlegislative members of the commission
shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050
and 43.03.060. Legislative members shall be reimbursed for travel
expenses as provided in RCW 44.04.120.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 This act expires June 30, 2006.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 This act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the
state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect
immediately.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2004, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void.