2005 House Bill 1484 (Authorizing regular property tax levies for school purposes)

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Introduced by Rep. Ross Hunter, (D-Medina) (D) on January 25, 2005, to authorize voter-approved regular property tax levies of $0.75 per $1,000 of value for school purposes. This bill would allow, for the first time, general property tax funds to be used for education purposes. These moneys would be above and beyond revenue gained from education property tax levies. See companion SB 5786.
- Referred to the House Education Committee on January 25, 2005.
- Substitute offered to the House Education Committee on March 1, 2005, to limit any funds raised to regional cost-of-living salary supplements, distributes property tax revenue to school districts based on the number of employees and the cost-of-living supplement for the county, and sets the cost-of-living supplement equal to the difference in rental costs in the county relative to rental costs in the lowest rental cost county. Makes tax provisions.
- Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on March 2, 2005.
- Substitute offered to the House Appropriations Committee on March 7, 2005, to remove the language referring to maintenance and operation and requires the levy money be used solely for regional cost-of-living salary supplements.
- The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on March 16, 2005.
- Referred to the House Rules Committee on March 7, 2005.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on March 10, 2005, to insert new intent language. (H AMD 189).
- The amendment failed in the House (37 to 58) on March 16, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Don Cox (R) on March 10, 2005, to require funding to be distributed based on the number of students in the prior year instead of the number of employees in that year. (MORS 001) .
- Amendment offered by Rep. Don Cox (R) on March 10, 2005, to permit the Secretary of State, at the request of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to submit to the voters statewide at the next general election, a request to approve a state school levy of up to $0.75 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. The levy, which must be approved at least every four years, is approved by a majority of the voters voting in the election. The funds raised through the levy will be deposited in a state level student achievement account and distributed to school districts on a per pupil basis to be used for school district purposes. Any money raised through this levy will be part of the state's portion of the property tax. (MORS 002) .
- Amendment offered by Rep. Ed Orcutt, (R-Kalama) (R) on March 10, 2005, to require resolutions by a majority of school districts in the county before county legislative authority places an authorizing proposition on the ballot. (H2620.1) .
- The amendment failed in the House (41 to 54) on March 16, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Ed Orcutt, (R-Kalama) (R) on March 10, 2005, to remove exemption of the levy from the one percent revenue limit. (H2621.1).
- The amendment failed in the House (39 to 56) on March 16, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Ross Hunter, (D-Medina) (D) on March 15, 2005, to require that the regional cost-of-living salary supplements for certificated instructional staff be funded by the new tax be provided in the form of separate contracts for additional time, responsibility, or incentive ("TRI") subject to the TRI statute. The amendment strikes a revision to the collective bargaining laws that is no longer needed, because bargaining will take place pursuant to the TRI statute. (FRAS 075) .
- Amendment offered by Rep. Gigi Talcott (R) on March 16, 2005, to require that the regional cost-of-living salary supplements be provided only for additional staff time and responsibilities specified in supplemental contracts. Prohibits the regional cost-of-living salary supplements from being provided as across-the-board salary adjustments. (FRAS 079) .
- The amendment failed in the House (40 to 55) on March 16, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Ross Hunter, (D-Medina) (D) on March 16, 2005, to require, for certificated instructional staff, that the regional cost-of-living salary supplements funded by the new tax be provided in the form of separate contracts for additional time, responsibility, or incentive ("TRI") subject to the TRI statute. Strikes a revision to the collective bargaining laws that is no longer needed, because bargaining will take place pursuant to the TRI statute. (FRAS 078) .
- The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 16, 2005.
Passed in the House (50 to 46) on March 16, 2005, to authorize voter-approved regular property tax levies for school purposes. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received to the Senate on March 18, 2005.
- Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on March 18, 2005.
Received in the House on January 9, 2006.
- Referred to the House Finance Committee on January 11, 2006.
- Substitute offered to the House Finance Committee on January 18, 2006, to require school districts to request the tax as follows: All districts in counties with fewer than eight districts; a majority of the school districts representing at least 75% of the students in counties with more than seven and less than 15 school districts; and a majority of the districts representing at least 50% of the students in counties with more than 14 school districts.
- The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on January 30, 2006, to replace the intent section with a new intent section. H AMD 671.
- The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on January 30, 2006, to remove the provision allowing consent for the tax by a majority of districts representing at least 50% of students in counties with more than 14 districts and requires these counties to have consent for the tax from a majority of school districts representing at least 75% of students. H AMD 672.
- The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on January 30, 2006, to require school districts to provide detailed reports to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on the additional time, responsibilities, or incentives included in the supplemental contracts. It requires the State Auditor to conduct audits of program. H AMD 673.
- The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Gigi Talcott (R) on January 30, 2006, to provide that counties with more than 7 and less than 16 school districts must have consent for the tax from school districts with at least 75% of the students rather than counties with more than 7 and less than 15 school districts. H AMD 674.
- The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Ed Orcutt, (R-Kalama) (R) on January 30, 2006, to require 60% voter approval of tax. It also requires the same voter turn out requirement as school district excess levies. H AMD 675.
- The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Ed Orcutt, (R-Kalama) (R) on January 30, 2006, to remove exemption of the levy from the 1% revenue limit. H AMD 676.
- The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. David Buri (R) on February 1, 2006, to transfer 20% of new tax proceeds for distribution through the local effort assistance formula. H AMD 688.
- The amendment failed in the House (44 to 54) on February 9, 2006. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on February 1, 2006, to add a referendum clause. H AMD 689.
- The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Ed Orcutt, (R-Kalama) (R) on February 9, 2006, to limit the property tax levy to 4 years. H AMD 750. The amendment failed in the House (44 to 54) on February 9, 2006. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on February 9, 2006, to delay the effective date to July 1, 2007. H AMD 751. The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on February 9, 2006.
Passed in the House (50 to 48) on February 9, 2006, to permit a voter approved county property tax of 75 cents per $1,000 of value to be used for collectively bargained cost-of-living supplements for school employees. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on February 11, 2006.
- Referred to the Senate Early Learning, K-12 and Higher Education Committee on February 11, 2006.

Most Recent Comments

1) No Bozo [by Anonymous on May 6, 2006]
What's a "teacher Bozo"?? You left the comma out, Joe college. When you go back to school choose a college with air conditioning this time so you won't sweat your butt off. You digressed from the topic. In 1986 truck drivers made about $35,000 annually, while teachers earned about $25,000. Today, truck drivers make about $35,000 annually. After allowing for 5% per annum inflation, my wages as a driver have been cut in half. (5% X 20 years = 100%)
Today teachers earn two to three times what truck drivers earn for hours worked. So why should all workers, most of whom earn far less than teachers, be required to subsidize teachers housing?

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2) bad bill [by Anonymous on May 6, 2006]
You digressed from the topic. In 1986 truck drivers made about $35,000 annually, while teachers earned about $25,000. Today, truck drivers make about $35,000 annually. After allowing for 5% per annum inflation, my wages as a driver have been cut in half. (5% X 20 years = 100%)
Today teachers earn two to three times what truck drivers earn for hours worked. So why should all workers, most of whom earn far less than teachers, be required to subsidize teachers housing?
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3) Get the facts straight? [by Anonymous on May 3, 2006]
Half of your summers are spent honing your skills? The facts are: ALL of my summers are spent actually working for a living. You are already compensated quite handsomely for hours actually worked compared to many of us who labor 12 months per year. Why should you expect a housing allowance when plumbers, electricians, grocers, truck drivers or any other skilled professionals get none? Contrary to what you apparently believe, teachers are no more special than anyone else who contributes to our culture.
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