(1) The following definitions apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a) “Distressed public facilities district” means a public facilities district that has defaulted on bond anticipation notes or bonds in excess of forty million dollars on or before April 1, 2012; and

(b) “Anchor jurisdiction” means a city that has entered into an agreement to form a public facilities district under RCW 35.57.010(1)(c) that constitutes a distressed public facilities district under this chapter and in which the largest asset of such public facilities district is located.

(2)(a) The governing board of a public facilities district under chapter 36.100 or 35.57 RCW may submit an authorizing proposition to the voters of the district, and if the proposition is approved by a majority of persons voting, impose a sales and use tax in accordance with the terms of this chapter.

(b) In addition to the tax authorized pursuant to (a) of this subsection and in addition to any other authority conferred by law, the legislative authority of an anchor jurisdiction may impose a sales and use tax within the geographical boundaries of the anchor jurisdiction in accordance with the terms of this chapter without submitting an authorizing proposition to the voters of the anchor jurisdiction or the distressed public facilities district.

(3) The tax authorized in this section is in addition to any 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 public facilities district. The rate of tax may not exceed two-tenths of one 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. A public facilities district formed under RCW 35.57.010(1)(e) may not impose the tax authorized under this section at a rate that exceeds two-tenths of one percent minus the rate of the highest tax authorized by this section that is imposed by any other public facilities district within its boundaries. A public facilities district formed under RCW 35.57.010(1)(f) may impose the tax authorized under this section at a rate of not more than two-tenths of one percent regardless of the tax imposed under this section by any other public facilities district within its boundaries. An anchor jurisdiction may impose the tax authorized by subsection (2)(b) of this section at a rate not to exceed two-tenths of one percent, regardless of whether any other public facilities district (including a distressed public facilities district) within its boundaries imposes the tax authorized by this section or the rate of such tax imposed by the public facilities district. If a public facilities district formed under RCW 35.57.010(1)(e) has imposed a tax under this section and issued or incurred obligations pledging that tax, so long as those obligations are outstanding no other public facilities district within its boundaries may thereafter impose a tax under this section at a rate that would reduce the rate of the tax that was pledged to the repayment of those obligations. A public facilities district that imposes a tax under this section is responsible for the payment of any costs incurred for the purpose of administering the provisions of this section, RCW 35.57.010(1)(e), and 35.57.020(1)(b), including any administrative costs associated with the imposition of the tax under this section incurred by either the department of revenue or local government, or both.

(4)(a) Moneys received by a public facilities district from any tax imposed by the public facilities district under the authority of this section must be used for the purpose of providing funds for the costs associated with the financing, refinancing, design, acquisition, construction, equipping, operating, maintaining, remodeling, repairing, and reequipping of its public facilities, and for transportation improvements directly associated with facilitating motor vehicle and pedestrian access to its public facilities to the extent allowed in RCW 35.57.020(1)(d).

(b) Moneys received by an anchor jurisdiction from any tax imposed by the anchor jurisdiction under the authority of this section must be used for the purpose of providing funds for the costs associated with the financing, refinancing, design, acquisition, construction, equipping, operating, maintaining, remodeling, repairing, and reequipping of the public facilities of the distressed public facilities district, and for all litigation, investigation, and related costs and expenses incurred by the anchor jurisdiction toward resolving matters related to the defaults of the distressed public facilities district. To the extent the distressed public facilities district owes money to an anchor jurisdiction, the anchor jurisdiction may apply money from the sales tax imposed under this section to any such obligations. Any sales tax imposed by an anchor jurisdiction under this section must terminate no later than thirty years after it is first imposed.

Findings—2012 c 4 § 6: “In enacting section 6 of this act, the legislature finds that providing local tools to enable solutions for public facilities districts that are in default on bond anticipation notes or bonds is in the best interest of the state, its municipalities, and its citizens as a whole. The legislature further finds it is necessary to act swiftly to provide the tools necessary to address any defaults on debt issued by public facilities districts.” [ 2012 c 4 § 5.]

Effective date—2012 c 4 §§ 5 and 6: “Sections 5 and 6 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and take effect immediately [March 1, 2012].” [ 2012 c 4 § 8.]

Severability—Savings—Part headings not law—2008 c 86: See notes following RCW 82.14.030.

Severability—1995 c 396: See note following RCW 36.100.010.