BILL REQ. #:  S-0710.1 

Read first time 01/20/2003.   Referred to Committee on Highways & Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to an alternative local option fuel tax; amending RCW 82.80.010; and adding a new section to chapter 82.80 RCW.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 82.80.010 and 1998 c 176 s 86 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) For purposes of this section:
     (a) "Distributor" means every person who imports, refines, manufactures, produces, or compounds motor vehicle fuel and special fuel as defined in RCW 82.36.010 and 82.38.020, respectively, and sells or distributes the fuel into a county;
     (b) "Person" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.030.
     (2) Subject to the conditions of this section, any county may levy, by approval of its legislative body and a majority of the registered voters of the county voting on the proposition at a general or special election, additional excise taxes equal to ten percent of the statewide motor vehicle fuel tax rate under RCW 82.36.025 on each gallon of motor vehicle fuel as defined in RCW 82.36.010 and on each gallon of special fuel as defined in RCW 82.38.020 sold within the boundaries of the county. Vehicles paying an annual license fee under RCW 82.38.075 are exempt from the county fuel excise tax. An election held under this section must be held not more than twelve months before the date on which the proposed tax is to be levied. The ballot setting forth the proposition shall state the tax rate that is proposed. The county's authority to levy additional excise taxes under this section includes the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county. The additional excise taxes are subject to the same exceptions and rights of refund as applicable to other motor vehicle fuel and special fuel excise taxes levied under chapters 82.36 and 82.38 RCW. The proposed tax shall not be levied less than one month from the date the election results are certified by the county election officer. The commencement date for the levy of any tax under this section shall be the first day of January, April, July, or October.
     (((2) Every person subject to the tax shall pay, in addition to any other taxes provided by law, an additional excise tax to the director of licensing at the rate levied by a county exercising its authority under this section.))
     (3) The local option motor vehicle fuel tax on each gallon of motor vehicle fuel and on each gallon of special fuel is imposed upon the distributor of the fuel.
     (4) The incidence of the tax occurs upon the first distribution of the fuel within the boundaries of a county to a retail outlet, bulk fuel user, or ultimate user of the fuel.
     (5) All administrative provisions in chapters 82.01, 82.03, and 82.32 RCW, as they now exist or may hereafter be amended, insofar as they are applicable, also apply to local option fuel taxes imposed under this section.
     (6) Before the effective date of the imposition of the fuel taxes under this section, a county shall contract with the department of revenue for the administration and collection of the taxes. The contract must provide that a percentage amount, not to exceed two percent of the taxes imposed under this section, will be deposited into the local tax administration account created in the custody of the state treasurer. The department of revenue may spend money from this account, upon appropriation, for the administration of the local taxes imposed under this section.
     (7) The state treasurer shall distribute monthly to the levying county and cities contained therein the proceeds of the additional excise taxes collected under this section, after the deductions for payments and expenditures as provided in RCW 46.68.090(1) (a) and (((2))) (b) and under the conditions and limitations provided in RCW 82.80.080.
     (((4))) (8) The proceeds of the additional excise taxes levied under this section shall be used strictly for transportation purposes in accordance with RCW 82.80.070.
     (((5) The department of licensing shall administer and collect the county fuel taxes. The department shall deduct a percentage amount, as provided by contract, for administrative, collection, refund, and audit expenses incurred. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer for monthly distribution under RCW 82.80.080.))
     (9) The additional excise tax in this section may not be levied if a county has levied the additional excise tax in section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 82.80 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) For purposes of this section:
     (a) "Distributor" means every person who imports, refines, manufactures, produces, or compounds motor vehicle fuel and special fuel as defined in RCW 82.36.010 and 82.38.020, respectively, and sells or distributes the fuel into a county;
     (b) "Person" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.030.
     (2) In lieu of the tax imposed in RCW 82.80.010, for purposes of dedication to a regional transportation investment district under chapter 36.120 RCW, subject to the conditions of this section, a county may levy additional excise taxes equal to ten percent of the statewide motor vehicle fuel tax rate under RCW 82.36.025 on each gallon of motor vehicle fuel as defined in RCW 82.36.010 and on each gallon of special fuel as defined in RCW 82.38.020 sold within the boundaries of the county. The additional excise tax is subject to the approval of the county's legislative body and a majority of the registered voters of the county voting on the proposition at a general or special election. An election held under this section must be held not more than twelve months before the date on which the proposed tax is to be levied. The ballot setting forth the proposition must state the tax rate that is proposed and that the revenues from the tax will be used for a regional transportation investment district plan. The county's authority to levy additional excise taxes under this section includes the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county. Vehicles paying an annual license fee under RCW 82.38.075 are exempt from the county fuel excise tax. The additional excise taxes are subject to the same exceptions and rights of refund as applicable to other motor vehicle fuel and special fuel excise taxes levied under chapters 82.36 and 82.38 RCW. The proposed tax may not be levied less than one month from the date the election results are certified by the county election officer. The commencement date for the levy of any tax under this section will be the first day of January, April, July, or October.
     (3) The local option motor vehicle fuel tax on each gallon of motor vehicle fuel and on each gallon of special fuel is imposed upon the distributor of the fuel.
     (4) The incidence of the tax occurs upon the first distribution of the fuel within the boundaries of a county to a retail outlet, bulk fuel user, or ultimate user of the fuel.
     (5) All administrative provisions in chapters 82.01, 82.03, and 82.32 RCW, as they now exist or may hereafter be amended, insofar as they are applicable, also apply to local option fuel taxes imposed under this section.
     (6) Before the effective date of the imposition of the fuel taxes under this section, a county shall contract with the department of revenue for the administration and collection of the taxes. The contract must provide that a percentage amount, not to exceed two percent of the taxes imposed under this section, will be deposited into the local tax administration account created in the custody of the state treasurer. The department of revenue may spend money from this account, upon appropriation, for the administration of the local taxes imposed under this section.
     (7) The state treasurer shall distribute monthly to the county levying the tax as part of a regional transportation investment plan, after the deductions for payments and expenditures as provided in RCW 46.68.090(1) (a) and (b).
     (8) The proceeds of the additional taxes levied by a county in this section, to be used as a part of a regional transportation investment plan, must be used in accordance to chapter 36.120 RCW, but only for those areas that are considered "highway purposes" as that term is construed in Article II, section 40 of the state Constitution.