Friday, February 5, 2010

Tuesday Morning at 8 O'clock There Will Be Some Action

[edited 2/6/2010 - SB 6684 is the companion to HB 3027]
Tuesday morning the House Finance Committee will have two bills of interest to vote on in Executive Session. The Safeco Stadium taxes, and the Seattle Hotel tax bills will get a vote, same day, same committee meeting.

These bills would then have to go to the floor for a full House vote.
If the House hotel tax is the same substitute bill, SB 6684 [ed], in the Senate Ways and Means Commttee then there is a dual path, and this house bill will not have to go through the Senate.
The same could be said for HB 2912, though it's partner SB 6661 was referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committed. The bill has yet to show up in it's Electronic Bill Book.

Many of these taxes push control to the local level. A few give shortterm taxing authority and the local control of extending longer.

Finance* -  02/09/10  8:00 am
Full Committee
House Hearing Rm C
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA
REVISED 2/5/2010 4:05 PM
Public Hearing:  
HB 2756 - Allowing medicare supplement insurance premiums to be deducted from the calculation of disposable income for the purpose of qualifying for senior property tax programs.
HB 2903 - Concerning benefit charges for regional fire protection service authorities. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 2990 - Addressing alternative city assumption and tax authority provisions pertaining to water-sewer districts.
HB 3172 - Concerning the taxation of lodging.
HB 3179 - Revising local excise tax provisions for counties and cities. (If measure is referred to committee.)
Executive Session:  
HB 2402 - Concerning a property tax exemption for property owned by a nonprofit organization and used for the purpose of a farmers market.
HB 2439 - Exempting church property used by a nonprofit organization conducting activities related to a farmers market from property taxation.
HB 2472 - Regarding the sea urchin and sea cucumber license limitation programs.
HB 2537 - Concerning incentives for solar energy systems.
HB 2567 - Concerning the excise taxation of publicly owned facilities accredited by the association of zoos and aquariums.
HB 2672 - Concerning tax relief for aluminum smelters.
HB 2756 - Allowing medicare supplement insurance premiums to be deducted from the calculation of disposable income for the purpose of qualifying for senior property tax programs.
HB 2903 - Concerning benefit charges for regional fire protection service authorities. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 2912
- Modifying local excise taxes in counties that have pledged lodging tax revenues for the payment of bonds prior to June 26, 1975.
HB 2933 - Modifying sales and use tax provisions for the local infrastructure financing tool program.
HB 2984 - Concerning a sales and use tax deferral for performing arts centers.
HB 2990 - Addressing alternative city assumption and tax authority provisions pertaining to water-sewer districts.
HB 3027
- Regarding the governance and financing of the Washington state convention and trade center.
HB 3092 - Allowing the department of revenue to issue a notice of lien to secure payment of delinquent excise taxes in lieu of a warrant.
HB 3172 - Concerning the taxation of lodging.
HB 3179 - Revising local excise tax provisions for counties and cities. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 3127 - Concerning the business and occupation taxation of newspaper-labeled supplements.
HB 3147 - Concerning sales and use tax exemptions for certain equipment and infrastructure contained in data centers.


There are 5 bills that they will take testimony on, and 18 they will vote on in Executive Session. 23 "actions" will be taken in this one meeting (one bill has testimony and a vote). These meetings are often 2 hours long.

It will be like an auction.

In the words of boxing referee Mills Lane, "let's get in on".

[edit 2/6/2010 - in Testimony to the Senate Ways & Means Committee representitives of the hoteliers said, testifying against SB 6118, that the state taking back the 2% salestax credit and then allowing Seattle the authority to add the 2% sales tax on top of the 6+% currently charged would put the fund that maintains the Convention Center at risk, and add more cost on top of very high sales taxes. They urged the committee to not pass SB 6118, as there were negotiations going on with the state to resolve the issue. Hopefully the state will not end up in court.]