HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2010-042 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2010 — 326 A
CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to:
Originator: _ 9/21 /2010 9/28/2010 Introduction
Division Head. 10 / 12 / 2010 Hearing
Wit. Head: _
Prosecutor:
Purchasing/Budget:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Ordinance increasing local excise tax for enhanced 911 services
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( X ) Yes ( ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date: 10/12/2010
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public
hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
Ordinance increasing the amount of local excise tax imposed on the use of switched access lines, radio access lines, and interconnected voice over
internet protocol service lines for enhanced 911 services
COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION:
9 / 28 / 2010 : Introduced
10 / 12 / 2010 : Council Adopted 5 - 2 Brenner &
Kershner opposed
Ord . 2010- 042
Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Ord . 2010-042
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the County 's website at: www. co. whatcom. wa. us/councit
911 Tax Ordinance
SPONSORED BY: Consent
PROPOSED BY: Crawford /Weimer
INTRODUCTION DATE : 9 / 28 / 2010
ORDINANCE NO. 2010-042
INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF LOCAL EXCISE TAX IMPOSED ON THE USE OF
SWITCHED ACCESS LINES, RADIO ACCESS LINES, AND INTERCONNECTED VOICE
OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL SERVICE LINES FOR ENHANCED 911 SERVICES
WHEREAS, Whatcom County currently collects a local enhanced 911 excise tax to be
used for an emergency services communication system , which provides for rapid public
access for coordinated dispatching of services, personnel , equipment, and facilities for
police, fire , medical , or other emergency services ; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature finds that the state and counties
should be provided with additional revenue to continue funding enhanced 911 emergency
communications systems throughout the state on a multicounty or countywide basis ; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature finds that the appropriate method of
deriving additional revenue for this purpose is to extend the excise tax on the use of
switched access lines to also apply to radio access lines and interconnected voice over
internet protocol service lines ; and
WHEREAS, Substitute Senate Bill 6846, passed by the Washington State Legislature
and signed by Governor Christine Gregoire on. April 13 , 2010 , provides for the legislative
authority of a county to impose, effective as early as January 1 , 2011 , a county enhanced
911 excise tax on the use of switched access, radio access, and interconnected voice over
Internet protocol service lines in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per month for each
line ; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with this new legislation , funds generated by the
enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by RCW 82 . 148 . 030 ( 5 ) may not be distributed to any
county that has not imposed the maximum county enhanced 911 excise tax allowed under
RCW 82 . 148 . 030 ( 1 ) and ( 2) ; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County currently receives funds annually for enhanced 911
network, database, and language line services from the State, for which the County would
not be eligible after December 31 , 2010, unless it imposes the maximum county enhanced
911 excise tax allowed under RCW 82 . 148 . 030 ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) ; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with RCW 38 . 52 . 510 , every county must implement
countywide or multicounty-wide enhanced 911 emergency communications systems so that
enhanced 911 is available throughout the state ; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County must provide funding for an enhanced 911
communications system in an amount equal to the amount that the maximum tax under
RCW 82 . 148 . 030 ( 1 ) would generate in the county less any applicable administrative fee
charged by the department of revenue or the amount necessary to provide full funding of
the system in the county .
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that the
amount of local excise tax imposed on the use of switched access lines, radio access lines,
and interconnected voice over Internet protocol service lines will be increased to the
maximum allowed under law , which is $ 0 . 70 per month per line, effective January 1 , 2011 .
ADOPTED this 12th day of October , 2010 .
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