Sales tax option for pool...

[pasayten]

Pasco just did a pool with a sales tax add on...

Voter Approved Indoor/Outdoor Aquatic Facility
The voters of the Pasco Public Facilities District voted on Proposition No. 1 imposing a 2/10 of 1% Sales & Use Tax for the purpose of funding an Aquatics Facility and Competition Pool during a special election held in April 2022. The PPFD Ballet Measure was approved and certified by the Franklin County Auditor in May 2022.

The collection of the Sales & Use Tax commenced on January 1, 2023. The PPFD Board intends to allocate funds from the voter approved Sales & Use Tax consistent with RCW 82.12.048 to fund the building and operations of an Aquatics Facility and, in Phase 2, a competition pool.

https://www.pasco-wa.gov/225/Public-Facilities-District

[SOulman]

Intriguing idea.

Assumably there could be exemptions for certain things like groceries, energy, etc. so that the tax is less regressive.

To the extent that smart people can figure out the appropriate exemptions to protect working folks in the valley, a sales tax can result in visitors paying for facilities that benefit local, year-round residents.

The sales tax idea also potentially limits the scale of new projects it funds or at least provides an incentive to plan modestly and realistically.

Steve Oulman

[pasayten]

Figured I would float the sales tax funding idea with political leaders...

Much better than property tax options... We would also have tourists/visitors help paying for the regional facilities.

Ray Peterson <pasayten@yahoo.com>
To: mayor@townofwinthrop.com, towncouncil.hsmith@gmail.com
Thu, Nov 9 at 12:02 PM

Mayors of Twisp and Winthrop,

The election is over and Proposition 1 for the Metropolitan Park District is defeated. Our community is still left without support for a regional pool for the towns of Winthrop and Twisp. The community is also somewhat divided over the issue.

RCW 35.57 allows towns to create their own local Public Facilities Districts (PFD) and initiate a 0.2% sales tax addon to support projects. Pasco successfully recently did this to build a new pool facility.

A funding option for a Twisp pool project would be for having Winthrop and Twisp each create a separate Public Facilities District with a 0.2% sales tax addon. Then combine the funds thru an interlocal agreement to support a regional pool. I believe there is also a $10mil total facility value requirement. This could be accomplished by adding the library and skating rink into the PFD which would also help support of these important local regional facilities.

State and county legal will not accept private citizens requests to look into the legal aspects like this as it applies to the RCW. Could you look into this and initiate such a discussion as a possible solution?

Thank You in advance.

Ray Peterson
425-239-3777