(1) One or more public facilities districts may be created in any county and must be coextensive with the boundaries of the county.
(2) A public facilities district is created upon adoption of a resolution providing for the creation of such a district by the county legislative authority in which the proposed district is located.
(3) A public facilities district is a municipal corporation, an independent taxing "authority" within the meaning of Article VII, section 1 of the state Constitution, and a "taxing district" within the meaning of Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution.
(4) Except as provided in RCW 36.100.040 (4) and (5), no taxes authorized under this chapter may be assessed or levied unless a majority of the voters of the public facilities district has approved such tax at a general or special election. A single ballot proposition may both validate the imposition of the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.048 and the excise tax under RCW 36.100.040(1).
(5)(a) A public facilities district constitutes a body corporate and possesses all the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes as well as all other powers that may now or hereafter be specifically conferred by statute, including, but not limited to, the authority to hire employees, staff, and services, to enter into contracts, including contracts with public and private parties, to acquire, own, sell, transfer, lease, and otherwise acquire or dispose of property, to grant concessions under terms approved by the public facilities district, and to sue and be sued.
(b) A public facilities district created by a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more to acquire, own, and operate a convention and trade center transferred from a public nonprofit corporation may continue to contract with the Seattle-King county convention and visitors' bureau or its successor in interest for marketing the convention and trade center facility and services.
(6) A public facilities district may enter into contracts with a county for the purpose of exercising any powers of a community renewal agency under chapter 35.81 RCW.
(7) The legislative authority of a city or county, the board of directors of a public nonprofit corporation, or the state of Washington may transfer property to a public facilities district created under this chapter, with or without consideration. No property that is encumbered with debt or that is in need of major capital renovation may be transferred to the district without the agreement of the district and revenues adequate to retire the existing indebtedness.
(8) A public facilities district may enter into agreements with the state, any municipal corporation, or any other governmental entity for the design, financing, acquisition, development, construction, reconstruction, lease, remodeling, alteration, maintenance, equipping, reequipping, repair, operation, or management of one or more facilities of the parties thereto. Agreements may provide that any party to the contract designs, finances, acquires, develops, constructs, reconstructs, remodels, alters, maintains, equips, reequips, repairs, and operates one or more facilities for the other party or parties to the contract. A public facilities district may enter into an agreement with the state, any municipal corporation, or other public or private entity that will assist a public facilities district in the financing of all or any part of a district facility on such terms as may be determined by agreement between the respective parties, including without limitation by a loan, guaranty, or other financing agreement.
[ 2010 1st sp.s. c 15 § 2; 2002 c 218 § 26; 1995 3rd sp.s. c 1 § 301; 1995 1st sp.s. c 14 § 1; 1995 c 396 § 1; 1989 1st ex.s. c 8 § 1; 1988 ex.s. c 1 § 11.]
NOTES:
Findings—Intent—2010 1st sp.s. c 15: "(1) The legislature finds that conventions and trade shows provide both direct and indirect civic and economic benefits. It is the intent of the legislature to provide for the transfer of the governance and financing of the state convention and trade center to a public facilities district formed by a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more to acquire, own, and operate the convention and trade center. The legislature also intends to replace, in connection with such transfer, the authority under chapter 67.40 RCW of the state and city to impose excise taxes on the sale of or charge made for the furnishing of lodging to fund the state convention and trade center with authority for the public facilities district to impose lodging taxes at these rates, without affecting the existing authority of the state, county, cities, and other municipal corporations to impose taxes on the sale or charge made for the furnishing of lodging under existing caps on the aggregate rate that may be charged.
(2) The legislature further finds that the location of the convention and trade center particularly benefits and increases the occupancy of larger hotels and other lodging facilities in the city in which it is located and to a lesser extent in the remainder of the county in which it is located. The legislature finds that imposing excise taxes on the sale of or charge made for the furnishing of lodging at the rates authorized in section 5 of this act is an appropriate method of paying for the cost of acquiring, constructing, owning, remodeling, maintaining, equipping, reequipping, repairing, altering, and operating a convention and trade center." [ 2010 1st sp.s. c 15 § 1.]
Construction—2010 1st sp.s. c 15: "The provisions of *this chapter must be liberally construed to effect the policies and purposes of *this chapter." [ 2010 1st sp.s. c 15 § 20.]
*Reviser's note: The reference to "this chapter" appears to be erroneous. Reference to chapter 36.100 RCW was apparently intended.
Severability—Savings—Construction—2002 c 218: See notes following RCW 35.81.005.
Part headings not law—Effective date—1995 3rd sp.s. c 1: See notes following RCW 82.14.0485.
Severability—1995 1st sp.s. c 14: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1995 1st sp.s. c 14 § 12.]
Effective dates—1995 1st sp.s. c 14: "(1) Sections 1 through 9 and 11 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 shall take effect July 1, 1995.
(2) Sections 10 and 12 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 shall take effect immediately [June 14, 1995]." [ 1995 1st sp.s. c 14 § 13.]
Severability—1995 c 396: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1995 c 396 § 19.]