BILL REQ. #:  H-4594.1 

Read first time 01/23/08.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to the creation of transportation improvement districts for maintenance and operation of certain bridges; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.14 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that in order to facilitate the transfer of state responsibility for certain historic bridges that remain under state jurisdiction but are no longer on state highways to local government, it is necessary to develop new funding mechanisms that will, over time, relieve the state of maintenance and operation costs of these bridges, as well as future costs of repair and rehabilitation or replacement.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A transportation improvement district may be created by the legislative authority of any city or town in which is located a mechanical lift bridge under state jurisdiction that: (a) Links two employment centers as defined by a regional planning body; (b) crosses a federally designated navigable waterway; (c) provides access for emergency services to and from a major container shipping port; (d) is on a local, state, or national historic register; (e) is located on an arterial street that was formerly a state highway; and (f) has received a substandard score on an engineering evaluation standard. The transportation improvement district boundaries shall be the same as the city limits and shall not extend beyond the city limits into another city or town or unincorporated areas.
     (2) The legislative authority of a city or town creating a transportation improvement district shall (a) agree to assume jurisdiction of the bridge described under subsection (1) of this section upon the formation of the transportation improvement district and (b) carry out the improvements financed by the transportation improvement district as well as ongoing maintenance and operating costs following rehabilitation or reconstruction of the bridge. The legislative authority may seek state loans, grants, or other financial assistance to pay for future needs of the bridge. Other revenue including, but not limited to, state and federal appropriations, tolls, competitive grants, and local and private revenue sources, may be combined with the revenue from a transportation improvement district to finance bridge rehabilitation or reconstruction.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 82.14 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The legislative authority of a city or town that has created a transportation improvement district under section 2 of this act may impose a sales and use tax within the boundaries of the transportation improvement district in accordance with the terms of this chapter. The tax is in addition to 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 transportation improvement district. The rate of the tax shall not exceed 0.20 percent of the selling price in the case of a sales tax or the value of the article used in the case of a use tax.
     (2) The tax imposed under subsection (1) of this section shall be deducted from the amount of tax otherwise required to be collected or paid over to the department of revenue under chapter 82.08 or 82.12 RCW. The department of revenue shall perform the collection of the tax on behalf of the city or town at no charge to the transportation improvement district.
     (3) The tax imposed under this section shall be used solely for financing, repair, restoration, rehabilitation, maintenance, construction, reconstruction, mitigation, property acquisition, and other costs necessary for the repair or replacement of a qualifying bridge described under section 2 of this act, including any mechanical or electrical systems and bridge supports and approaches.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   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 June 1, 2008.