RCW 82.14.485 — Sales and use taxes for regional centers

(1) In a county with a population under 300,000, the governing body of a public facilities district, which is created before August 1, 2001, under chapter 35.57 RCW or before January 1, 2000, under chapter 36.100 RCW, in which the total population in the public facilities district is greater than 90,000 and less than 100,000 that commences improvement or rehabilitation of an existing regional center, to be used for community events, and artistic, musical, theatrical, or other cultural exhibitions, presentations, or performances and having 2,000 or fewer permanent seats, before January 1, 2009, may impose a sales and use tax in accordance with the terms of this chapter. The tax is in addition to 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 for a public facilities district created prior to August 1, 2001, under chapter 35.57 RCW, may not exceed 0.025 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. The rate of tax, for a public facilities district created prior to January 1, 2000, under chapter 36.100 RCW, may not exceed 0.020 percent of the selling price in the case of a sales tax or the value of the article used in the case of a use tax. (2) The tax imposed under subsection (1) of this section must be deducted from the amount of tax otherwise required to be collected or paid over to the department under chapter 82.08 or 82.12 RCW. The department must perform the collection of such taxes on behalf of the county at no cost to the public facilities district. (3)(a) The tax imposed in this section expires when bonds issued to finance or refinance the construction, improvement, rehabilitation, or expansion of a regional center and related parking facilities are retired, but not more than 55 years after the tax is first collected. (b) A public facilities district that imposes the tax under this section must notify the department in writing, at least 75 days before retiring the bonds described in (a) of this subsection, of the actual date the bond will be retired. (4) Moneys collected under this section may only be used for the purposes set forth in RCW 35.57.020 and must be matched with an amount from other public or private sources equal to 33 percent of the amount collected under this section, provided that amounts generated from nonvoter-approved taxes authorized under chapter 35.57 RCW may not constitute a public or private source. For the purpose of this section, public or private sources include, but are not limited to cash or in-kind contributions used in all phases of the development or improvement of the regional center, land that is donated and used for the siting of the regional center, cash or in-kind contributions from public or private foundations, or amounts attributed to private sector partners as part of a public and private partnership agreement negotiated by the public facilities district. [ 2025 c 302 s 2 ; 2025 c 245 s 3 ; 2017 c 164 s 2 ; 2007 c 486 s 3 .] Notes: Reviser's note: This section was amended by 2025 c 245 s 3 and by 2025 c 302 s 2, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section under RCW 1.12.025 (2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025 (1).