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RESOLUTION NO. 12-68
WHEREAS The ability of government to respond promptly and effectively
to the needs and demands of its citizens is in large measure determined by the
adequacy of its revenues; and
WHEREAS Washington's system of county government was designed to
serve the regional needs of the state and its citizens, and in this broad capacity
it has direct responsibility for an ever -widening array of social and environ-
mental programs which are essential to the public health and welfare; and
WHEREAS The changing character of society, as evidenced by burgeon-
ing urbanization, has hastened the demand for new and expanded public programs;
and most of these demands were not contemplated when county revenue sources
were established; and
WHEREAS The result is a notorious and alarming financial incapacity on
the part of the counties to respond adequately, or even minimally, to the
growing needs for such programs as crime prevention and basic law enforce-
ment' community mental health and retardation, family counseling and
juvenile guidance and rehabilitation; and
WHEREAS Present financial limitations will not allow county government
to forcefully respond to the demands for maintenance of public parks and recrea-
tion systems, programs of air and water pollution control, fundamental public
health services, or long range planning capabilities, all so essential to the
future quality of the state's environment; and
WHEREAS The solution to the financial crisis of county government. And
one clearly in keeping with reason and tradition, is the return of local property
tax millage equivalent to that removed by 1953 legislative enactment in such a
manner as to allow time for legislative attention to necessary funding readjust-
ments; and
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Resolution No. 12-68
Page 2
WHEREAS, It changes the existing state law relating to the allocation
of property tax millage within the constitutional forty mill limit by removing
the state's continuing authority to levy up to two mills on all property within
the state, and it would not affect the temporary biennial authority of the
state to levy an additional two mills for school purposes as was authorized
in the 1967 session of the Legislature; and
WHEREAS, Removal of the state's authority is accompanied by specific
authorization for any county to levy the same two mills for general county
purposes and this millage would be in addition to that presently allotted to
counties for general governmental purposes, its use would be based upon
need as determined by the board of county commissioners; and
WHEREAS, No levies made in 1968 would be affected and since revenue
from the two mill levy made by the state in 1968 would be collectible in 1969,
the state's income from this source would continue through 1969; and begin-
ning on January I, 1970, collectible revenue from the two mills would accrue
to the benefit of the counties, which would allow for an intervening session
of the Legislature before the change-over date; and
WHEREAS, Without mentioning specific amounts, it would reduce property
taxes, and the revenue collected from two mills at the state level is equiva-
lent to such millage applied against an assessment level of 50% of true and
fair value of taxable property as determined by the Department of Revenue
which, if collected locally by the counties, such two mills would be applied
against the county assessors' level of value for tax purposes and is in all
cases significantly under 50% and more near a statewide average of 20%,
according to authoritative estimates; and
WHEREAS JEFFERSON County subscribes t:> th_e ,prin~i:ple
that locally collected taxes should be made available for local needs and
purposes;
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Resolution No. 12-68 Page 3
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOL YED That JEFFERSON County
does hereby express its strong endorsement of Initiative Measure No. 244
with a pledge of active support to gain passage of the measure at the 1968
general election.
Dated this t~ day of April , 1968.
BOARD OF JEFFERSON
COMMISSIONERS
COUNTY
t
Lyall Arey
Member
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