On page 11, after line 5, insert the following:
Sec. 10. "RCW
84.55.050 and 2021 c 296 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Subject to any otherwise applicable statutory dollar rate limitations, regular property taxes may be levied by or for a taxing district in an amount exceeding the limitations provided for in this chapter if such levy is authorized by a proposition approved by a majority of the voters of the taxing district voting on the proposition at a general election held within the district or at a special election within the taxing district called by the district for the purpose of submitting such proposition to the voters. Any election held pursuant to this section shall be held not more than 12 months prior to the date on which the proposed levy is to be made, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section.
If the taxing district holds its regular elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330(6), the election may be held only at a general election in an even-numbered year. The ballot of the proposition shall state the dollar rate proposed and shall clearly state the conditions, if any, which are applicable under subsection (4) of this section.
(2)(a) Subject to statutory dollar limitations, a proposition placed before the voters under this section may authorize annual increases in levies for multiple consecutive years, up to six consecutive years, during which period each year's authorized maximum legal levy shall be used as the base upon which an increased levy limit for the succeeding year is computed, but the ballot proposition must state the dollar rate proposed only for the first year of the consecutive years and must state the limit factor, or a specified index to be used for determining a limit factor, such as the consumer price index, which need not be the same for all years, by which the regular tax levy for the district may be increased in each of the subsequent consecutive years. Elections for this purpose must be held at a primary or general election. The title of each ballot measure must state the limited purposes for which the proposed annual increases during the specified period of up to six consecutive years shall be used.
(b)(i) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (2)(b), funds raised by a levy under this subsection may not supplant existing funds used for the limited purpose specified in the ballot title. For purposes of this subsection, existing funds means the actual operating expenditures for the calendar year in which the ballot measure is approved by voters. Actual operating expenditures excludes lost federal funds, lost or expired state grants or loans, extraordinary events not likely to reoccur, changes in contract provisions beyond the control of the taxing district receiving the services, and major nonrecurring capital expenditures.
(ii) The supplanting limitations in (b)(i) of this subsection do not apply to levies approved by the voters in calendar years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, in any county with a population of 1,500,000 or more. This subsection (2)(b)(ii) only applies to levies approved by the voters after July 26, 2009.
(iii) The supplanting limitations in (b)(i) of this subsection do not apply to levies approved by the voters in calendar year 2009 and thereafter in any county with a population less than 1,500,000. This subsection (2)(b)(iii) only applies to levies approved by the voters after July 26, 2009.
(3) After a levy authorized pursuant to this section is made, the dollar amount of such levy may not be used for the purpose of computing the limitations for subsequent levies provided for in this chapter, unless the ballot proposition expressly states that the levy made under this section will be used for this purpose.
(4) If expressly stated, a proposition placed before the voters under subsection (1) or (2) of this section may:
(a) Use the dollar amount of a levy under subsection (1) of this section, or the dollar amount of the final levy under subsection (2) of this section, for the purpose of computing the limitations for subsequent levies provided for in this chapter;
(b) Limit the period for which the increased levy is to be made under (a) of this subsection;
(c) Limit the purpose for which the increased levy is to be made under (a) of this subsection, but if the limited purpose includes making redemption payments on bonds;
(i) For the county in which the state capitol is located, the period for which the increased levies are made may not exceed 25 years; and
(ii) For districts other than a district under (c)(i) of this subsection, the period for which the increased levies are made may not exceed nine years;
(d) Set the levy or levies at a rate less than the maximum rate allowed for the district;
(e) Provide that the exemption authorized by RCW
84.36.381 will apply to the levy of any additional regular property taxes authorized by voters; or
(f) Include any combination of the conditions in this subsection.
(5) Except as otherwise expressly stated in an approved ballot measure under this section, subsequent levies shall be computed as if:
(a) The proposition under this section had not been approved; and
(b) The taxing district had made levies at the maximum rates which would otherwise have been allowed under this chapter during the years levies were made under the proposition.
Sec. 11. RCW
84.52.052 and 2004 c 129 s 22 are each amended to read as follows:
The limitations imposed by RCW
84.52.050 through
84.52.056, and RCW
84.52.043 shall not prevent the levy of additional taxes by any taxing district, except school districts and fire protection districts, in which a larger levy is necessary in order to prevent the impairment of the obligation of contracts. As used in this section, the term "taxing district" means any county, metropolitan park district, park and recreation service area, park and recreation district, water-sewer district, solid waste disposal district, public facilities district, flood control zone district, county rail district, service district, public hospital district, road district, rural county library district, island library district, rural partial-county library district, intercounty rural library district, cemetery district, city, town, transportation benefit district, emergency medical service district with a population density of less than one thousand per square mile, cultural arts, stadium, and convention district, ferry district, city transportation authority, or regional fire protection service authority.
Any such taxing district may levy taxes at a rate in excess of the rate specified in RCW
84.52.050 through
84.52.056 and
84.52.043, or
84.55.010 through
84.55.050, when authorized so to do by the voters of such taxing district in the manner set forth in Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state at a special or general election to be held in the year in which the levy is made.
A special election may be called and the time therefor fixed by the county legislative authority, or council, board of commissioners, or other governing body of any such taxing district, by giving notice thereof by publication in the manner provided by law for giving notices of general elections, at which special election the proposition authorizing such excess levy shall be submitted in such form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "yes" and those opposed thereto to vote "no."
If the taxing district holds its regular elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330(6), the election may be held only at a general election in an even-numbered year.Sec. 12. RCW
84.52.053 and 2018 c 266 s 306 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The limitations imposed by RCW
84.52.050 through
84.52.056, and
84.52.043 shall not prevent the levy of taxes by school districts, when authorized so to do by the voters of such school district in the manner and for the purposes and number of years allowable under Article VII, section 2(a) and Article IX, section 1 of the Constitution of this state. Elections for such taxes shall be held in the year in which the levy is made or, in the case of propositions authorizing two-year through four-year levies for enrichment funding for a school district, authorizing two-year levies for transportation vehicle funds established in RCW
28A.160.130 or authorizing two-year through six-year levies to support the construction, modernization, or remodeling of school facilities, which includes the purposes of RCW
28A.320.330(2) (f) and (g), in the year in which the first annual levy is made.
(2)(a) Once additional tax levies have been authorized for enrichment funding for a school district for a two-year through four-year period as provided under subsection (1) of this section, no further additional tax levies for enrichment funding for the district for that period may be authorized, except for additional levies to provide for subsequently enacted increases affecting the district's maximum levy.
(b) Notwithstanding (a) of this subsection, any school district that is required to annex or receive territory pursuant to a dissolution of a financially insolvent school district pursuant to RCW
28A.315.225 may call either a replacement or supplemental levy election within the school district, including the territory annexed or transferred, as follows:
(i) An election for a proposition authorizing two-year through four-year levies for enrichment funding for a school district may be called and held before the effective date of dissolution to replace existing enrichment levies and to provide for increases due to the dissolution.
(ii) An election for a proposition authorizing additional tax levies may be called and held before the effective date of dissolution to provide for increases due to the dissolution.
(iii) In the event a replacement levy election under (b)(i) of this subsection is held but does not pass, the affected school district may subsequently hold a supplemental levy election pursuant to (b)(ii) of this subsection if the supplemental levy election is held before the effective date of dissolution. In the event a supplemental levy election is held under (b)(ii) of this subsection but does not pass, the affected school district may subsequently hold a replacement levy election pursuant to (b)(i) of this subsection if the replacement levy election is held before the effective date of dissolution. Failure of a replacement levy or supplemental levy election does not affect any previously approved and existing enrichment levy within the affected school district or districts.
(c) For the purpose of applying the limitation of this subsection (2), a two-year through six-year levy to support the construction, modernization, or remodeling of school facilities shall not be deemed to be a tax levy for enrichment funding for a school district.
(3) A special election may be called and the time therefor fixed by the board of school directors, by giving notice thereof by publication in the manner provided by law for giving notices of general elections, at which special election the proposition authorizing such excess levy shall be submitted in such form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "yes" and those opposed thereto to vote "no."
If the school district holds its regular elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330(6), the election may be held only at a general election in an even-numbered year.(4)(a) Beginning September 1, 2018, school districts may use enrichment levies solely to enrich the state's statutory program of basic education as authorized under RCW
28A.150.276.
(b) Beginning with propositions for enrichment levies for collection in calendar year 2020 and thereafter, a district must receive approval of an enrichment levy expenditure plan from the superintendent of public instruction under RCW
28A.505.240 before submission of the proposition to the voters.
Sec. 13. RCW
84.52.069 and 2018 c 136 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) As used in this section, "taxing district" means a county, emergency medical service district, city or town, public hospital district, urban emergency medical service district, regional fire protection service authority, or fire protection district.
(2)
(a) Except as provided in subsection (10) of this section, a taxing district may impose additional regular property tax levies in an amount equal to fifty cents or less per thousand dollars of the assessed value of property in the taxing district. The tax is imposed ((
(a)))
(i) each year for six consecutive years, ((
(b)))
(ii) each year for ten consecutive years, or ((
(c)))
(iii) permanently. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a permanent tax levy under this section, or the initial imposition of a six-year or ten-year levy under this section, must be specifically authorized by a majority of at least three-fifths of the registered voters thereof approving a proposition authorizing the levies submitted at a general or special election, at which election the number of persons voting "yes" on the proposition must constitute three-fifths of a number equal to forty percent of the total number of voters voting in such taxing district at the last preceding general election when the number of registered voters voting on the proposition does not exceed forty percent of the total number of voters voting in such taxing district in the last preceding general election; or by a majority of at least three-fifths of the registered voters thereof voting on the proposition when the number of registered voters voting on the proposition exceeds forty percent of the total number of voters voting in such taxing district in the last preceding general election. The subsequent approval of a six-year or ten-year tax levy under this section must be specifically authorized by a majority of the registered voters thereof approving a proposition authorizing the levies submitted at a general or special election. If the entire region comprising a newly formed regional fire protection service authority was subject to the levy authorized under this section immediately prior to the creation of the authority under chapter
52.26 RCW, the initial imposition of a six-year or ten-year tax levy under this section may be approved by a majority of the registered voters thereof approving the creation of the authority and the related service plan. Ballot propositions must conform with RCW
29A.36.210. A taxing district may not submit to the voters at the same election multiple propositions to impose a levy under this section.
(b) If a taxing district holds its regular elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330(6), an election under this section may be held only at a general election in an even-numbered year. (3) A taxing district imposing a permanent levy under this section must provide for separate accounting of expenditures of the revenues generated by the levy. The taxing district must maintain a statement of the accounting which must be updated at least every two years and must be available to the public upon request at no charge.
(4)(a) A taxing district imposing a permanent levy under this section must provide for a referendum procedure to apply to the ordinance or resolution imposing the tax. This referendum procedure must specify that a referendum petition may be filed at any time with a filing officer, as identified in the ordinance or resolution. Within ten days, the filing officer must confer with the petitioner concerning form and style of the petition, issue the petition an identification number, and secure an accurate, concise, and positive ballot title from the designated local official. The petitioner has thirty days in which to secure the signatures of not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters of the taxing district, as of the last general election, upon petition forms which contain the ballot title and the full text of the measure to be referred. The filing officer must verify the sufficiency of the signatures on the petition and, if sufficient valid signatures are properly submitted, must certify the referendum measure to the next election within the taxing district if one is to be held within one hundred eighty days from the date of filing of the referendum petition, or at a special election to be called for that purpose in accordance with RCW
29A.04.330.
However, if the taxing district holds its regular elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330(6), an election under this section may be held only at a general election in an even-numbered year.(b) The referendum procedure provided in this subsection (4) is exclusive in all instances for any taxing district imposing the tax under this section and supersedes the procedures provided under all other statutory or charter provisions for initiative or referendum which might otherwise apply.
(5) Any tax imposed under this section may be used only for the provision of emergency medical care or emergency medical services, including related personnel costs, training for such personnel, and related equipment, supplies, vehicles and structures needed for the provision of emergency medical care or emergency medical services.
(6) If a county levies a tax under this section, no taxing district within the county may levy a tax under this section. If a regional fire protection service authority imposes a tax under this section, no other taxing district that is a participating fire protection jurisdiction in the regional fire protection service authority may levy a tax under this section. No other taxing district may levy a tax under this section if another taxing district has levied a tax under this section within its boundaries: PROVIDED, That if a county levies less than fifty cents per thousand dollars of the assessed value of property, then any other taxing district may levy a tax under this section equal to the difference between the rate of the levy by the county and fifty cents: PROVIDED FURTHER, That if a taxing district within a county levies this tax, and the voters of the county subsequently approve a levying of this tax, then the amount of the taxing district levy within the county must be reduced, when the combined levies exceed fifty cents. Whenever a tax is levied countywide, the service must, insofar as is feasible, be provided throughout the county: PROVIDED FURTHER, That no countywide levy proposal may be placed on the ballot without the approval of the legislative authority of a majority of at least seventy-five percent of all cities exceeding a population of fifty thousand within the county: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That this section and RCW
36.32.480 may not prohibit any city or town from levying an annual excess levy to fund emergency medical services: AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, That if a county proposes to impose tax levies under this section, no other ballot proposition authorizing tax levies under this section by another taxing district in the county may be placed before the voters at the same election at which the county ballot proposition is placed: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That any taxing district emergency medical service levy that is limited in duration and that is authorized subsequent to a county emergency medical service levy that is limited in duration, expires concurrently with the county emergency medical service levy. A fire protection district that has annexed an area described in subsection (10) of this section may levy the maximum amount of tax that would otherwise be allowed, notwithstanding any limitations in this subsection (6).
(7) The limitations in RCW
84.52.043 do not apply to the tax levy authorized in this section.
(8) If a ballot proposition approved under subsection (2) of this section did not impose the maximum allowable levy amount authorized for the taxing district under this section, any future increase up to the maximum allowable levy amount must be specifically authorized by the voters in accordance with subsection (2) of this section at a general or special election.
(9) The limitation in RCW
84.55.010 does not apply to the first levy imposed pursuant to this section following the approval of such levy by the voters pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.
(10) For purposes of imposing the tax authorized under this section, the boundary of a county with a population greater than one million five hundred thousand does not include all of the area of the county that is located within a city that has a boundary in two counties, if the locally assessed value of all the property in the area of the city within the county having a population greater than one million five hundred thousand is less than two hundred fifty million dollars.
(11) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Fire protection jurisdiction" means a fire protection district, city, town, Indian tribe, or port district; and
(b) "Participating fire protection jurisdiction" means a fire protection district, city, town, Indian tribe, or port district that is represented on the governing board of a regional fire protection service authority.
Sec. 14. RCW
84.52.130 and 2002 c 180 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
The limitations imposed by RCW
84.52.050 through
84.52.056, and
84.52.043 shall not prevent the levy of taxes by a fire protection district, when authorized so to do by the voters of a fire protection district in the manner and for the purposes and number of years allowable under Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state. Elections for taxes shall be held in the year in which the levy is made, or in the case of propositions authorizing two-year through four-year levies for maintenance and operation support of a fire district, or authorizing two-year through six-year levies to support the construction, modernization, or remodeling of fire district facilities, in the year in which the first annual levy is made. Once additional tax levies have been authorized for maintenance and operation support of a fire protection district for a two-year through four-year period, no further additional tax levies for maintenance and operation support of the district for that period may be authorized.
A special election may be called and the time fixed by the fire protection district commissioners, by giving notice by publication in the manner provided by law for giving notices of general elections, at which special election the proposition authorizing the excess levy shall be submitted in a form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "yes" and those opposed to vote "no."
If the fire protection district holds its regular elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330(6), the election may be held only at a general election in an even-numbered year. Sec. 15. RCW
84.52.135 and 2004 c 80 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) A county with a population of ninety thousand or less may impose additional regular property tax levies in an amount equal to fifty cents or less per thousand dollars of the assessed value of property in the county in accordance with the terms of this section.
(2) The tax proposition may be submitted at a general or special election.
If the county holds its regular elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330(6), the election may be held only at a general election in an even-numbered year.(3) The tax may be imposed each year for six consecutive years when specifically authorized by the registered voters voting on the proposition, subject to the following:
(a) If the number of registered voters voting on the proposition does not exceed forty percent of the total number of voters voting in the taxing district at the last general election, the number of persons voting "yes" on the proposition shall constitute at least three-fifths of a number equal to forty percent of the total number of voters voting in the taxing district at the last general election.
(b) If the number of registered voters voting on the proposition exceeds forty percent of the total number of voters voting in the taxing district at the last preceding general election, the number of persons voting "yes" on the proposition shall be at least three-fifths of the registered voters voting on the proposition.
(4) Ballot propositions shall conform with RCW
29A.36.210.
(5) Any tax imposed under this section shall be used exclusively for criminal justice purposes.
(6) The limitations in RCW
84.52.043 do not apply to the tax authorized in this section.
(7) The limitation in RCW
84.55.010 does not apply to the first tax levy imposed pursuant to this section following the approval of the levy by the voters pursuant to subsection (3) of this section."