HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2010-019 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2010 - 182 A
CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to:
Originator: 4/13/2010 4/13/2010 Introduction
Division Head: / 4 / 27 / 2010 _ Hearing
Dept. Head: a� � ✓jL - a- % / d 5 / 11 / 2010 Council
Prosecutor:
Purchasing/Budget:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Res. limit real estate property tax increases for County Flood Control Zone Dist
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( x ) Yes ( ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date: .
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 limiting total annual real estate property tax increases for the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District fund including the use of
banked capacity, to 1 % per year unless a non-binding advisory ballot measure with any proposed additional increases is placed before Whatcom
County voters
•
COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION:
4 / 13 / 2010 : Introduced
4 / 27 / 2010 : Hearing closed , decision held to
5 / 11 / 2010
5 / 11 / 2010 : Council Approved 5 - 2 Mann &
Weimer opposed ( Council acting as the
Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District
Board of Supervisors )
Res . 2010-019
Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Res . 2010-019
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the Coun 's website at: www. co. whatcom. wa. us/council.
1 SPONSORED BY: BRENNER, CRAWFORD, KNUTZEN , NELSON
2 PROPOSED BY: CRAWFORD
3 INTRODUCTION DATE : APRIL 13, 2010
4
5
6 RESOLUTION NO . 2010- 019
7
8 LIMITING TOTAL ANNUAL REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES FOR
9 THE WHATCOM COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL ZONE DISTRICT FUND INCLUDING THE
10 USE OF BANKED CAPACITY, TO 10/0 PER YEAR UNLESS A NON - BINDING ADVISORY
11 BALLOT MEASURE WITH ANY PROPOSED ADDITIONAL INCREASES IS PLACED
12 BEFORE WHATCOM COUNTY VOTERS
13
14 (A resolution of the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
15
16 WHEREAS, excessive increases in real estate property taxes have the potential to
17 impose undue financial hardships on many Whatcom County residents ; and
18
19 WHEREAS, the safety and economic well being of the people of Whatcom County
20 are of paramount concern to the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of
21 Supervisors ; and
22
23 WHEREAS, wages and total household incomes in Whatcom County consistently lag
24 the Washington State average ; and
25
26 WHEREAS, in 2008 the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of
27 Supervisors increased district property taxes by more than 30 % ; and
28
29 WHEREAS, while Washington State law authorizes the Whatcom County Flood
30 Control Zone District Board of Supervisors in certain instances to increase property taxes
31 without a vote of the people, the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of
32 Supervisors recognizes that the will of the people shall be considered before property taxes
33 are levied or increased .
34
35 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ESTABLISHED, by the Whatcom
36 County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors, that the levy of real - property taxes
37 for the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District fund shall be limited in increase each
38 year to a maximum amount equal to the previous year's tax levy plus one percent, along
39 with an increase for the previous year's addition of new construction , and improvements to
40 property and any of the previous year's increase in the value of state- assessed property ;
41 and
42
43 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any proposed tax levy increase to provide revenue
44 for a future County Flood Control Zone District fund budget year cycle, beyond the amount
45 specified by this locally- imposed limitation , shall be put to a non - binding advisory vote of
46 the people of Whatcom County by means of a ballot measure to be voted upon in a
47 Countywide November General Election . This ballot measure shall be proposed by the
48 Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors to the Whatcom County
49 Auditor no later than July 1 of the year preceding the year of the proposed levy increase ;
50 and
51
52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED , that the capacity to increase the levy beyond this one
53 percent limitation through accumulation or " banked capacity " as allowed by Washington
54 state law shall be implemented in current or future assessments only after the non - binding
55 advisory vote of the people of Whatcom County by means of the previously described ballot
56 measure process ; and
57
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if the Washington State Legislature changes any
2 laws affecting levies contained herein , or the ability of the Whatcom County Flood Control
3 Zone District Board of Supervisors to place additional further local limitations on the raising
4 of such levies, and the Prosecuting Attorney's Office concurs, the Whatcom County
5 administration will change such levies accordingly .
6
7 APPROVED this 11th day of May , 2010
WHATCOM COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL
11 ?` 0.• � HA rCO .� �% ZONE DISTRICT BOARD OF
12 : V • 0 COUNTY S . i-- = SUPERVISORS
13 0- Pm : • t' E WH r TCOM COU Y, ASHINGTON
14
4 ��r 'o ..
15 • `
16 DSpa BMA/WA Perk QT the Council :p. m Crawford , Board of Supervisors Chair
17 'e
e • • . . . • ' .`
18 /, ••• * -4- ``\``'
19 AP • ROVrBetts► wtfOrtn/
20
21 ''i:l . r I _ ,iAi_
22 , vil Deputy Pro ecutor