H-2017.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1759
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State of Washington | 64th Legislature | 2015 Regular Session |
By House Technology & Economic Development (originally sponsored by Representatives Manweller and Ormsby)
READ FIRST TIME 02/20/15.
AN ACT Relating to modifying the computer data center sales and use tax exemption; amending RCW
82.08.986, 82.12.986, 82.14.370, 67.28.180, and 82.32.534; creating a new section; providing an effective date; providing expiration dates; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1)(a) The legislature finds that the sales and use tax is a substantial factor in whether a business decides to site a computer data center in a particular location. The legislature further finds that the computer data center sales and use tax exemption has encouraged the siting of numerous data centers in rural areas of Washington by reducing a significant operational cost. The legislature further finds that businesses operating computer data centers provide family wage jobs and substantially increase tax revenues for local jurisdictions where the data centers are located. The legislature further finds that the computer data center sales and use tax exemption substantially reduces state revenues available for K-12 and higher education, human services, health care, and other important state programs.
(b) Therefore, the legislature intends to temporarily extend the data center sales and use tax exemption in a way that carefully balances the positive local impacts with the need to closely and transparently scrutinize this redirection of critical state resources by doing the following:
(i) Extending the data center sales and use tax exemption construction window until 2020 and the refresh window for replacement server equipment until 2026;
(ii) Allowing a one hundred percent sales and use tax exemption for eligible server equipment and power infrastructure installed in new data centers and a more limited seventy-five percent exemption for replacement server equipment;
(iii) Reducing or disallowing local jurisdictions from claiming certain local sales and use taxes that directly reduce state general fund revenues; and
(iv) Converting the data center sales and use tax exemption into a remittance, thereby allowing the department of revenue to carefully track the exact fiscal impact of the exemption to the state.
(2)(a) This subsection is the tax preference performance statement for the sales and use tax exemption provided in sections 2 and 3 of this act. The performance statement is only intended to be used for subsequent evaluation of the tax preference. It is not intended to create a private right of action by any party or be used to determine eligibility to preferential tax treatment.
(b) The legislature categorizes this tax preference as one intended to create or retain jobs, as indicated in RCW
82.32.808(2)(c).
(c) It is the legislature's specific public policy objectives to:
(i) Encourage the siting of new data centers, with commensurate job growth, in rural counties by extending the computer data center sales and use tax exemption; and
(ii) Mitigate the fiscal impact of the exemption to the state by: (A) Reducing the exemption for replacement servers; and (B) disallowing cities and counties from claiming certain local sales and use taxes that reduce state general fund revenues.
(d) To help determine whether the specific public policy objectives described in (c) of this subsection have been met, the joint legislative audit and review committee must evaluate the following:
(i) The number of computer data centers for which the sales and use tax exemptions under RCW
82.08.986 and 82.12.986 have been claimed;
(ii) The number of family wage employment positions described under RCW
82.08.986(3);
(iii) The cost and availability of electrical power in areas where computer data centers are located;
(iv) Property taxes assessed on computer data centers and server equipment and changes in the assessment rolls for cities and counties in which computer data centers are located; and
(v) The amount of sales and use taxes exempted under RCW
82.08.986 and 82.12.986.
Sec. 2. RCW 82.08.986 and 2012 2nd sp.s. c 6 s 302 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
((An exemption from the tax imposed by RCW 82.08.020 is provided for sales to qualifying businesses and to qualifying tenants of)) (a) Purchasers who have paid the tax imposed by RCW 82.08.020 on eligible server equipment to be installed, without intervening use, in an eligible computer data center, and to charges made for labor and services rendered in respect to installing eligible server equipment
are eligible for an exemption in the form of a remittance. The exemption
in the form of a remittance also applies to sales to qualifying businesses and to qualifying tenants of eligible power infrastructure, including labor and services rendered in respect to constructing, installing, repairing, altering, or improving eligible power infrastructure.
(b) Beginning July 1, 2015, the amount of exemption under this section is equal to: (i) Five percent of the state and local sales taxes paid for original server equipment and eligible power infrastructure; and (ii) ninety-five percent of the state and local sales taxes paid for replacement server equipment.
(2)(a) In order to claim the exemption under this section, a qualifying business or a qualifying tenant must submit an application to the department ((for an exemption certificate)). The application must include the information necessary, as required by the department, to determine that a business or tenant qualifies for the exemption under this section. ((The department must issue exemption certificates to qualifying businesses and qualifying tenants. The department may assign a unique identification number to each exemption certificate issued under this section.
(b) A qualifying business or a qualifying tenant claiming the exemption under this section must present the seller with an exemption certificate in a form and manner prescribed by the department. The seller must retain a copy of the certificate for the seller's files)) The department may only approve twelve applications for the exemption provided in subsection (1)(b)(i) of this section.
(b) A qualifying business or qualifying tenant must apply to the department for a remittance of sales tax in a form and manner prescribed by the department. A purchaser may not apply for a remittance under this section more frequently than once per quarter. The purchaser must specify the amount of exempted tax claimed and the qualifying purchases for which the exemption is claimed. The purchaser must retain, in adequate detail, records to enable the department to determine whether the purchaser is entitled to an exemption under this section, including: Invoices; proof of tax paid; and documents describing the eligible equipment and labor and services rendered.
(c) The department must determine eligibility under this section based on the information provided by the purchaser, which is subject to audit verification by the department. The department must on a quarterly basis remit exempted amounts to qualifying purchasers who submitted a remittance request during the previous quarter.
(3)(a) Within six years of the date that ((the department issued an exemption certificate under this section to a qualifying business or a qualifying tenant with respect to an eligible computer data center)) commencement of construction of an eligible computer data center occurs, the qualifying business or qualifying tenant must establish that net employment at the eligible computer data center has increased by, at a minimum, the greater of:
(i) ((Thirty-five)) Forty-five family wage employment positions; or
(ii) ((Three)) Four family wage employment positions for each twenty thousand square feet of space or less that is newly dedicated to housing working servers at the eligible computer data center. For qualifying tenants, the number of family wage employment positions that must be increased under this subsection (3)(a)(ii) is based only on the space occupied by the qualifying tenant in the eligible computer data center.
(b) In calculating the net increase in family wage employment positions:
(i) The owner of an eligible computer data center, in addition to its own net increase in family wage employment positions, may include:
(A) The net increase in family wage employment positions employed by qualifying tenants; and
(B) The net increase in family wage employment positions described in (c)(ii)(B) of this subsection (3).
(ii)(A) Qualifying tenants, in addition to their own net increase in family wage employment positions, may include:
(I) A portion of the net increase in family wage employment positions employed by the owner; and
(II) A portion of the net increase in family wage employment positions described in (c)(ii)(B) of this subsection (3).
(B) The portion of the net increase in family wage employment positions to be counted under this subsection (3)(b)(ii) by each qualifying tenant must be in proportion to the amount of space in the eligible computer data center occupied by the qualifying tenant compared to the total amount of space in the eligible computer data center occupied by all qualifying tenants.
(c)(i) For purposes of this subsection, family wage employment positions are new permanent employment positions requiring forty hours of weekly work, or their equivalent, on a full-time basis at the eligible computer data center and receiving a wage equivalent to or greater than one hundred fifty percent of the per capita personal income of the county in which the qualified project is located. An employment position may not be counted as a family wage employment position unless the employment position is entitled to health insurance coverage provided by the employer of the employment position. For purposes of this subsection (3)(c), "new permanent employment position" means an employment position that did not exist or that had not previously been filled as of the date that ((the department issued an exemption certificate to the owner or qualifying tenant of an eligible computer data center, as the case may be)) commencement of construction of an eligible computer data center occurs.
(ii)(A) Family wage employment positions include positions filled by employees of the owner of the eligible computer data center and by employees of qualifying tenants.
(B) Family wage employment positions also include individuals performing work at an eligible computer data center as an independent contractor hired by the owner of the eligible computer data center or as an employee of an independent contractor hired by the owner of the eligible computer data center, if the work is necessary for the operation of the computer data center, such as security and building maintenance, and provided that all of the requirements in (c)(i) of this subsection (3) are met.
(d) All previously exempted sales and use taxes are immediately due and payable for a qualifying business or qualifying tenant that does not meet the requirements of this subsection.
(4) A qualifying business or a qualifying tenant claiming an exemption under this section or RCW
82.12.986 must complete an annual report with the department as required under RCW
82.32.534.
(5)(a) The exemption provided in this section does not apply to:
(i) Any person who has received the benefit of the deferral program under chapter
82.60 RCW on: (A) The construction, renovation, or expansion of a structure or structures used as a computer data center; or (B) machinery or equipment used in a computer data center; and
(ii) Any person affiliated with a person within the scope of (a)(i) of this subsection (5).
(b) If a person claims an exemption under this section and subsequently receives the benefit of the deferral program under chapter
82.60 RCW on either the construction, renovation, or expansion of a structure or structures used as a computer data center or machinery or equipment used in a computer data center, the person must repay the amount of taxes exempted under this section. Interest as provided in chapter
82.32 RCW applies to amounts due under this section until paid in full.
(6) For purposes of this section the following definitions apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Affiliated" means that one person has a direct or indirect ownership interest of at least twenty percent in another person.
(b)(i) "Computer data center" means a facility comprised of one or more buildings, which may be comprised of multiple businesses, constructed or refurbished specifically, and used primarily, to house working servers, where the facility has the following characteristics: (A) Uninterruptible power supplies, generator backup power, or both; (B) sophisticated fire suppression and prevention systems; and (C) enhanced physical security, such as: Restricted access to the facility to selected personnel; permanent security guards; video camera surveillance; an electronic system requiring passcodes, keycards, or biometric scans, such as hand scans and retinal or fingerprint recognition; or similar security features.
(ii) For a computer data center comprised of multiple buildings, each separate building constructed or refurbished specifically, and used primarily, to house working servers is considered a computer data center if it has all of the characteristics listed in (b)(i)(A) through (C) of this subsection (6).
(iii) A facility comprised of one building or more than one building must have a combined square footage of at least one hundred thousand square feet.
(c) "Electronic data storage and data management services" include, but are not limited to: Providing data storage and backup services, providing computer processing power, hosting enterprise software applications, and hosting web sites. The term also includes providing services such as e-mail, web browsing and searching, media applications, and other online services, regardless of whether a charge is made for such services.
(d)(i) "Eligible computer data center" means a computer data center:
(A) Located in a rural county as defined in RCW
82.14.370;
(B) Having at least twenty thousand square feet dedicated to housing working servers, where the server space has not previously been dedicated to housing working servers; and
(C) For which the commencement of construction occurs:
(I) After March 31, 2010, and before July 1, 2011; or
(II) After March 31, 2012, and before July 1, ((2015)) 2020.
(ii) For purposes of this section, "commencement of construction" means the date that a building permit is issued under the building code adopted under RCW
19.27.031 for construction of the computer data center. The construction of a computer data center includes the expansion, renovation, or other improvements made to existing facilities, including leased or rented space. "Commencement of construction" does not include soil testing, site clearing and grading, site preparation, or any other related activities that are initiated before the issuance of a building permit for the construction of the foundation of a computer data center.
(iii) With respect to facilities in existence on April 1, 2010, that are expanded, renovated, or otherwise improved after March 31, 2010, or facilities in existence on April 1, 2012, that are expanded, renovated, or otherwise improved after March 31, 2012, an eligible computer data center includes only the portion of the computer data center meeting the requirements in (d)(i)(B) of this subsection (6).
(e) "Eligible power infrastructure" means all fixtures and equipment owned by a qualifying business or qualifying tenant and necessary for the transformation, distribution, or management of electricity that is required to operate eligible server equipment within an eligible computer data center. The term includes generators; wiring; cogeneration equipment; and associated fixtures and equipment, such as electrical switches, batteries, and distribution, testing, and monitoring equipment.
(f) "Eligible server equipment" means:
(i) ((For a qualifying business whose computer data center qualifies as an eligible computer data center under (d)(i)(C)(I) of this subsection (6),)) The original server equipment installed in an eligible computer data center on or after April 1, 2010, and replacement server equipment. ((For purposes of this subsection (6)(f)(i), "replacement server equipment" means server equipment that:
(A) Replaces existing server equipment, if the sale or use of the server equipment to be replaced qualified for an exemption under this section or RCW 82.12.986; and (B) Is installed and put into regular use before April 1, 2018.
(ii) For a qualifying business whose computer data center qualifies as an eligible computer data center under (d)(i)(C)(II) of this subsection (6), "eligible server equipment" means the original server equipment installed in an eligible computer data center on or after April 1, 2012, and replacement server equipment. For purposes of this subsection (6)(f)(ii), "replacement server equipment" means server equipment that:
(A) Replaces existing server equipment, if the sale or use of the server equipment to be replaced qualified for an exemption under this section or RCW 82.12.986; and (B) Is installed and put into regular use before April 1, 2020.
(iii))) (ii) For a qualifying tenant who leases space within an eligible computer data center, "eligible server equipment" means the original server equipment installed within the space it leases from an eligible computer data center on or after April 1, 2010, and replacement server equipment. ((For purposes of this subsection (6)(f)(iii), "replacement server equipment" means server equipment that:
(A) Replaces existing server equipment, if the sale or use of the server equipment to be replaced qualified for an exemption under this section or RCW 82.12.986; and (B) Is installed and put into regular use before April 1, 2020.))
(g) "Qualifying business" means a business entity that exists for the primary purpose of engaging in commercial activity for profit and that is the owner of an eligible computer data center. The term does not include the state or federal government or any of their departments, agencies, and institutions; tribal governments; political subdivisions of this state; or any municipal, quasi-municipal, public, or other corporation created by the state or federal government, tribal government, municipality, or political subdivision of the state.
(h) "Qualifying tenant" means a business entity that exists for the primary purpose of engaging in commercial activity for profit and that leases space from a qualifying business within an eligible computer data center. The term does not include the state or federal government or any of their departments, agencies, and institutions; tribal governments; political subdivisions of this state; or any municipal, quasi-municipal, public, or other corporation created by the state or federal government, tribal government, municipality, or political subdivision of the state. The term also does not include a lessee of space in an eligible computer data center under (d)(i)(C)(I) of this subsection (6), if the lessee and lessor are affiliated and:
(i) That space will be used by the lessee to house server equipment that replaces server equipment previously installed and operated in that eligible computer data center by the lessor or another person affiliated with the lessee; or
(ii) Prior to May 2, 2012, the primary use of the server equipment installed in that eligible computer data center was to provide electronic data storage and data management services for the business purposes of either the lessor, persons affiliated with the lessor, or both.
(i) "Replacement server equipment" means server equipment that:
(A) Replaces existing server equipment, if the sale or use of the server equipment to be replaced qualified for an exemption under this section or RCW 82.12.986; and (B) Is installed and put into regular use before April 1, 2026.
(j) "Server equipment" means the computer hardware located in an eligible computer data center and used exclusively to provide electronic data storage and data management services for internal use by the owner or lessee of the computer data center, for clients of the owner or lessee of the computer data center, or both. "Server equipment" also includes computer software necessary to operate the computer hardware. "Server equipment" does not include personal computers, the racks upon which the server equipment is installed, and computer peripherals such as keyboards, monitors, printers, and mice.
(7) This section expires April 1, ((2020)) 2026.
Sec. 3. RCW 82.12.986 and 2012 2nd sp.s. c 6 s 304 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
((An exemption from)) The tax imposed by RCW
82.12.020 ((is provided for)) does not apply to the use by qualifying businesses or qualifying tenants of eligible server equipment to be installed, without intervening use, in an eligible computer data center, and to the use of labor and services rendered in respect to installing such server equipment. The exemption also applies to the use by a qualifying business or qualifying tenant of eligible power infrastructure, including labor and services rendered in respect to installing, repairing, altering, or improving such infrastructure.
(2) A qualifying business or a qualifying tenant is not eligible for the exemption under this section unless the department
((issued an exemption certificate to the qualifying business or a qualifying tenant for the exemption provided in RCW 82.08.986.(3)(a) The exemption provided in this section does not apply to:
(i) Any person who has received the benefit of the deferral program under chapter 82.60 RCW on: (A) The construction, renovation, or expansion of a structure or structures used as a computer data center; or (B) machinery or equipment used in a computer data center; and (ii) Any person affiliated with a person within the scope of (a)(i) of this subsection (3).
(b) If a person has received the benefit of the exemption under this section and subsequently receives the benefit of the deferral program under chapter 82.60 RCW on either the construction, renovation, or expansion of a structure or structures used as a computer data center or machinery or equipment used in a computer data center, the person must repay the amount of taxes exempted under this section. Interest as provided in chapter 82.32 RCW applies to amounts due under this subsection (3)(b) until paid in full. A person is not required to repay taxes under this subsection with respect to property and services for which the person is required to repay taxes under RCW 82.08.986(5))) approved an application required in RCW 82.08.986.
(3) The exemption under this section is provided in the form of a remittance. A person claiming an exemption under this section must pay the tax imposed by RCW 82.12.020 to the department. The person may then apply to the department for remittance of the tax paid under RCW 82.12.020 in accordance with RCW 82.08.986. (4) The definitions
, conditions, and requirements in RCW
82.08.986 apply to this section.
(5) This section expires April 1, ((2020)) 2026.
Sec. 4. RCW 82.14.370 and 2012 c 225 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
(a) The legislative authority of a rural county may impose a sales and use tax in accordance with the terms of this chapter. The tax is in addition to other taxes authorized by law and must 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 county.
Except as provided in (b) of this subsection (1), the rate of tax may not exceed 0.09 percent of the selling price in the case of a sales tax or value of the article used in the case of a use tax, except that for rural counties with population densities between sixty and one hundred persons per square mile, the rate
((shall)) may not exceed 0.04 percent before January 1, 2000.
(b)(i) A county imposing the tax authorized under this section must modify its tax rate as provided in this subsection (1)(b). A county must adjust the tax rate to reflect increases or decreases in county property tax revenues from a computer data center, and personal property used within a computer data center, if: (A) The commencement of construction of the computer data center occurs on or after July 1, 2015; and (B) the computer data center qualifies for the exemption under RCW 82.08.986 or 82.12.986. The state treasurer must modify the distribution of the taxes authorized under this section to reflect any tax rate decrease required by this subsection (1)(b) separate of any action by the county or lack thereof. (ii) A county must decrease its tax rate under this subsection (1)(b) beginning with the first calendar year in which additional property tax revenues will be generated from a computer data center described under (b)(i) of this subsection (1) but not before January 1, 2016.
(iii) If the county has decreased its tax rate under (b)(ii), it may subsequently increase its tax rate to the maximum amount otherwise allowable under this section, if the assessed value of a computer data center described under (b)(i) of this subsection, or the assessed value of personal property used in the computer data center, decreases by more than fifty percent from the highest assessed value of such properties in the three prior years.
(iv) The department must make a determination as to whether, and to what degree, a tax rate adjustment is required under this subsection (1)(b) and notify an impacted county by October 1 of each year. If a tax rate adjustment is required under this subsection (1)(b), the tax rate must be adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of one percent necessary to reflect the property tax revenue change described in (ii) or (iii) of this subsection (1)(b). Beginning in calendar year 2021, the department is not required to make a determination under this subsection (1)(b)(iv) unless a county contacts the department regarding a possible tax rate increase under (iii) of this subsection (1)(b).
(2) The tax imposed under subsection (1) of this section must 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 must perform the collection of such taxes on behalf of the county at no cost to the county.
(3)(a) Moneys collected under this section may only be used to finance public facilities serving economic development purposes in rural counties and finance personnel in economic development offices. The public facility must be listed as an item in the officially adopted county overall economic development plan, or the economic development section of the county's comprehensive plan, or the comprehensive plan of a city or town located within the county for those counties planning under RCW
36.70A.040. For those counties that do not have an adopted overall economic development plan and do not plan under the growth management act, the public facility must be listed in the county's capital facilities plan or the capital facilities plan of a city or town located within the county.
(b) In implementing this section, the county must consult with cities, towns, and port districts located within the county and the associate development organization serving the county to ensure that the expenditure meets the goals of chapter 130, Laws of 2004 and the requirements of (a) of this subsection. Each county collecting money under this section must report, as follows, to the office of the state auditor, within one hundred fifty days after the close of each fiscal year: (i) A list of new projects begun during the fiscal year, showing that the county has used the funds for those projects consistent with the goals of chapter 130, Laws of 2004 and the requirements of (a) of this subsection; and (ii) expenditures during the fiscal year on projects begun in a previous year. Any projects financed prior to June 10, 2004, from the proceeds of obligations to which the tax imposed under subsection (1) of this section has been pledged may not be deemed to be new projects under this subsection. No new projects funded with money collected under this section may be for justice system facilities.
(c) The definitions in this section apply throughout this section.
(i) "Public facilities" means bridges, roads, domestic and industrial water facilities, sanitary sewer facilities, earth stabilization, storm sewer facilities, railroads, electrical facilities, natural gas facilities, research, testing, training, and incubation facilities in innovation partnership zones designated under RCW
43.330.270, buildings, structures, telecommunications infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, or commercial infrastructure, and port facilities in the state of Washington.
(ii) "Economic development purposes" means those purposes which facilitate the creation or retention of businesses and jobs in a county.
(iii) "Economic development office" means an office of a county, port districts, or an associate development organization as defined in RCW
43.330.010, which promotes economic development purposes within the county.
(iv) "Computer data center" and "commencement of construction" have the same meanings as provided in RCW 82.08.986. (4) No tax may be collected under this section before July 1, 1998.
(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, no tax may be collected under this section by a county more than twenty-five years after the date that a tax is first imposed under this section.
(b) For counties imposing the tax at the rate of 0.09 percent before August 1, 2009, the tax expires on the date that is twenty-five years after the date that the 0.09 percent tax rate was first imposed by that county.
(5) For purposes of this section, "rural county" means a county with a population density of less than one hundred persons per square mile or a county smaller than two hundred twenty-five square miles as determined by the office of financial management and published each year by the department for the period July 1st to June 30th.
Sec. 5. RCW 67.28.180 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 38 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Subject to the conditions set forth in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the legislative body of any county or any city, is authorized to levy and collect a special excise tax of not to exceed two percent on the sale of or charge made for the furnishing of lodging that is subject to tax under chapter
82.08 RCW.
(2) Any levy authorized by this section is subject to the following:
(a) Any county ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section must contain, in addition to all other provisions required to conform to this chapter, a provision allowing a credit against the county tax for the full amount of any city tax imposed pursuant to this section upon the same taxable event.
(b)(i) In the event that any county has levied the tax authorized by this section and has, prior to June 26, 1975, either pledged the tax revenues for payment of principal and interest on city revenue or general obligation bonds authorized and issued pursuant to RCW
67.28.150 through 67.28.160 or has authorized and issued revenue or general obligation bonds pursuant to the provisions of RCW
67.28.150 through 67.28.160, such county is exempt from the provisions of (a) of this subsection, to the extent that the tax revenues are pledged for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued at any time pursuant to the provisions of RCW
67.28.150 through 67.28.160. However, so much of such pledged tax revenues, together with any investment earnings thereon, not immediately necessary for actual payment of principal and interest on such bonds may be used: (A) In any county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more, for repayment either of limited tax levy general obligation bonds or of any county fund or account from which a loan was made, the proceeds from the bonds or loan being used to pay for constructing, installing, improving, and equipping stadium capital improvement projects, and to pay for any engineering, planning, financial, legal and professional services incident to the development of such stadium capital improvement projects, regardless of the date the debt for such capital improvement projects was or may be incurred; (B) in any county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more, for repayment or refinancing of bonded indebtedness incurred prior to January 1, 1997, for any purpose authorized by this section or relating to stadium repairs or rehabilitation, including but not limited to the cost of settling legal claims, reimbursing operating funds, interest payments on short-term loans, and any other purpose for which such debt has been incurred if the county has created a public stadium authority to develop a stadium and exhibition center under RCW
36.102.030; or (C) in other counties, for county-owned facilities for agricultural promotion until January 1, 2009, and thereafter for any purpose authorized in this chapter.
(ii) A county is exempt under this subsection with respect to city revenue or general obligation bonds issued after April 1, 1991, only if such bonds mature before January 1, 2013. If any county located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains has levied the tax authorized by this section and has, prior to June 26, 1975, pledged the tax revenue for payment of principal and interest on city revenue or general obligation bonds, the county is exempt under this subsection with respect to revenue or general obligation bonds issued after January 1, 2007, only if the bonds mature before January 1, 2035. Such a county may only use funds under this subsection (2)(b) for constructing or improving facilities authorized under this chapter, including county-owned facilities for agricultural promotion.
(iii) As used in this subsection (2)(b), "capital improvement projects" may include, but not be limited to a stadium restaurant facility, restroom facilities, artificial turf system, seating facilities, parking facilities and scoreboard and information system adjacent to or within a county owned stadium, together with equipment, utilities, accessories and appurtenances necessary thereto. The stadium restaurant authorized by this subsection (2)(b) must be operated by a private concessionaire under a contract with the county.
(c)(i) No city within a county exempt under (b) of this subsection may levy the tax authorized by this section so long as said county is so exempt.
(ii) No city within a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more may levy the tax authorized by this section.
(iii) However, in the event that any city in a county described in (c)(i) or (ii) of this subsection (2) has levied the tax authorized by this section and has, prior to June 26, 1975, authorized and issued revenue or general obligation bonds pursuant to the provisions of RCW
67.28.150 through 67.28.160, such city may levy the tax so long as the tax revenues are pledged for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued at any time pursuant to the provisions of RCW
67.28.150 through 67.28.160.
(3) Any levy authorized by this section by a county that has a population of one million five hundred thousand or more is subject to the following:
(a) Taxes collected under this section in any calendar year before 2013 in excess of five million three hundred thousand dollars may only be used as follows:
(i) Seventy percent from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2012, for art museums, cultural museums, heritage museums, the arts, and the performing arts. Moneys spent under this subsection (3)(a)(i) must be used for the purposes of this subsection (3)(a)(i) in all parts of the county.
(ii) Thirty percent from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2012, for the following purposes and in a manner reflecting the following order of priority: Stadium purposes as authorized under subsection (2)(b) of this section; acquisition of open space lands; youth sports activities; and tourism promotion. If all or part of the debt on the stadium is refinanced, all revenues under this subsection (3)(a)(ii) must be used to retire the debt.
(b) From January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015, all revenues under this section ((shall)) must be used to retire the debt on the stadium, until the debt on the stadium is retired. On and after the date the debt on the stadium is retired, and through December 31, 2015, all revenues under this section in a county of one million five hundred thousand or more must be deposited in the special account under (e) of this subsection.
(c) From January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2020, all revenues under this section must be deposited in the stadium and exhibition center account under RCW
43.99N.060.
(d) On and after January 1, 2021, the revenues under this section must be used as follows:
(i) At least thirty-seven and one-half percent of the revenues under this section must be deposited in the special account under (e) of this subsection.
(ii) At least thirty-seven and one-half percent of the revenues under this section must be used for nonprofit organizations or public housing authorities for affordable workforce housing within one-half of a mile of a transit station, as described under RCW
9.91.025 or for services for homeless youth.
(iii) The remainder must be used for capital or operating programs that promote tourism and attract tourists to the county.
(e) At least forty percent of the revenues distributed pursuant to (a)(i) of this subsection must be deposited in a special account. The account may only be used for the purposes of (a)(i) of this subsection.
(f) School districts and schools may not receive revenues distributed pursuant to (a)(i) of this subsection.
(g) Moneys distributed to art museums, cultural museums, heritage museums, the arts, and the performing arts, and moneys distributed for tourism promotion must be in addition to and may not be used to replace or supplant any other funding by the legislative body of the county.
(h) For the purposes of this section:
(i) "Affordable workforce housing" means housing for a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose income is between thirty percent and eighty percent of the median income, adjusted for household size, for the county where the housing is located; and
(ii) "Tourism promotion" includes activities intended to attract visitors for overnight stays, arts, heritage, and cultural events, and recreational, professional, and amateur sports events. Moneys allocated to tourism promotion in a county with a population of one million or more must be allocated to local public organizations and nonprofit organizations formed for the express purpose of tourism promotion in the county. Such organizations must use moneys from the taxes to promote events in all parts of the county.
(i) No taxes collected under this section may be used for the operation or maintenance of a public stadium that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged. Expenditures for operation or maintenance include all expenditures other than expenditures that directly result in new fixed assets or that directly increase the capacity, life span, or operating economy of existing fixed assets.
(j) No ad valorem property taxes may be used for debt service on bonds issued for a public stadium that is financed by bonds to which the tax is pledged, unless the taxes collected under this section are or are projected to be insufficient to meet debt service requirements on such bonds.
(k) If a substantial part of the operation and management of a public stadium that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged is performed by a nonpublic entity or if a public stadium is sold that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged, any bonds to which the tax is pledged
((shall)) must be retired. This subsection (3)(k) does not apply in respect to a public stadium under chapter
36.102 RCW transferred to, owned by, or constructed by a public facilities district under chapter
36.100 RCW or a stadium and exhibition center.
(l) The county may not lease a public stadium that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged to, or authorize the use of the public stadium by, a professional major league sports franchise unless the sports franchise gives the right of first refusal to purchase the sports franchise, upon its sale, to local government. This subsection (3)(l) does not apply to contracts in existence on April 1, 1986.
(4) If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of subsection (3) of this section invalid, then that invalid provision is null and void and the remainder of this section is not affected.
(5) Beginning January 1, 2016, any city or county that has a computer data center located within its boundaries may not impose the tax under this section if the computer data center qualifies for the sales and use tax exemption under RCW 82.08.986 or 82.12.986. Sec. 6. RCW 82.32.534 and 2014 c 97 s 102 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)(a) Every person claiming a tax preference that requires a report under this section must file a complete annual report with the department. The report is due by April 30th of the year following any calendar year in which a person becomes eligible to claim the tax preference that requires a report under this section. The department may extend the due date for timely filing of annual reports under this section as provided in RCW
82.32.590.
(b) The report must include information detailing employment, wages, and employer-provided health and retirement benefits for employment positions in Washington for the year that the tax preference was claimed. However, persons engaged in manufacturing commercial airplanes or components of such airplanes may report employment, wage, and benefit information per job at the manufacturing site for the year that the tax preference was claimed. The report must not include names of employees. The report must also detail employment by the total number of full-time, part-time, and temporary positions for the year that the tax preference was claimed.
(c) Persons receiving the benefit of the tax preference provided by RCW
82.16.0421 or claiming any of the tax preferences provided by RCW
82.04.2909, 82.04.4481, 82.08.805, 82.12.805, or 82.12.022(5) must indicate on the annual report the quantity of product produced in this state during the time period covered by the report.
(d) If a person filing a report under this section did not file a report with the department in the previous calendar year, the report filed under this section must also include employment, wage, and benefit information for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year for which a tax preference was claimed.
(e) Persons claiming the exemption under RCW 82.08.986 or 82.12.986 must include the following additional information on the report filed under this section: (i) The parcel number for the eligible computer data center and any related personal property parcel numbers;
(ii) The unemployment insurance account number associated with the computer data center; and
(iii) The total amount expended for electrical power for the calendar year. The cost per kilowatt hour must also be provided.
(2) As part of the annual report, the department may request additional information necessary to measure the results of, or determine eligibility for, the tax preference.
(3) Other than information requested under subsection (2) of this section, the information contained in an annual report filed under this section is not subject to the confidentiality provisions of RCW
82.32.330 and may be disclosed to the public upon request.
(4) Except as otherwise provided by law, if a person claims a tax preference that requires an annual report under this section but fails to submit a complete report by the due date or any extension under RCW
82.32.590, the department must declare the amount of the tax preference claimed for the previous calendar year to be immediately due and payable. The department must assess interest, but not penalties, on the amounts due under this subsection. The interest must be assessed at the rate provided for delinquent taxes under this chapter, retroactively to the date the tax preference was claimed, and accrues until the taxes for which the tax preference was claimed are repaid. Amounts due under this subsection are not subject to the confidentiality provisions of RCW
82.32.330 and may be disclosed to the public upon request.
(5) The department must use the information from this section to prepare summary descriptive statistics by category. No fewer than three taxpayers may be included in any category. The department must report these statistics to the legislature each year by December 1st.
(6) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Person" has the meaning provided in RCW
82.04.030 and also includes the state and its departments and institutions.
(b) "Tax preference" has the meaning provided in RCW
43.136.021 and includes only the tax preferences requiring a survey under this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. 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 July 1, 2015.
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