HomeMy WebLinkAboutDISCUSSION re Jeffco PUD PILT JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Jeff Chapman,Assessor
Mark McCauley,County Administrator
DATE: April 21,2025
SUBJECT: Agreement between Jefferson County and Jefferson County PUD
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
Washington State law requires the County and the PUD to determine a Payment in Lieu of Taxes(PILT)
amount to be paid by the Jefferson County Public Utilities District No.I (PUD) for its broadband plant in the
County by April 30th of each year(RCW 54.16.425(3)). The County will distribute the amount received to
taxing districts by tax code area in the same proportion as it would distribute property taxes(RCW
54.16.425 (4)).
ANALYSIS:
The County,PUD and the Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR)have been working together to
complete this agreement, attached. Generally,this assessment will be calculated in the same manner as other
utilities are handled by DOR in that the total determined value will be corrected for the localized ratio,
which for personal property is 92.1%for 2024. DOR has determined that the localized taxable value of the
broadband assets in 2024 for 2025 PILT to be $1,565,700. Based on this the full PILT amount at 100%of
the appropriate levy rate to be collected and distributed to the taxing districts is $12,717.96.
The PUD and the County have discussed what percentage of full asset value should be used because the
value of the PUD broadband plant when the project is complete may be as high as $70,000,000, depending
upon depreciation and other factors. Charging the full levy rates on this amount will result in a PILT charge
of approximately $568,602 (based on current levy rates), which is considered excessive. This amount would
then be passed on to the PUD's broadband customers at the rate of about $8 per month.
Since RCW 54.16.425 allows the PUD and County to agree to adjust the amount billed to be less than the
DOR base calculation,the PUD has proposed 50%of the $12,717.96 for 2025 as a fair amount. For
subsequent years the PUD and County will determine an appropriate tax adjustment table after considering
all the factors involved.
Should the County and the PUD fail to agree on a valuation protocol, both parties could agree to binding
arbitration the expense of which would be shared by both parties.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This agreement would yield a PILT payment of$6,358.98 which would then be distributed to the
appropriate taxing districts.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Board agree with the PUD proposal for the 2025 PILT payment and to their
hiring a consultant to help develop a PUD proposal for subsequent years. It is also recommended that the
Board delegate signing authority to the County Administrator for this agreement between Jefferson County
and the PUD.
REVIEWED BY:
Mark McCaule4j, County Administra Date O
AGREEMENT BETWEEN JEEFFERSON COUNTY AND JEFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT REGARDING
BROADBAND PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES (PILT)—2024 VALUE FOR 2025 TAXES
Jefferson County (County)and Jefferson County Public Utility District(PUD)agree to the following per RCW
54.16.425:
Washington State law requires the County and the PUD to determine a PILT amount to be paid by the PUD for its
broadband plant to the County in lieu of property taxes by April 30`h of each year(RCW 54.16.425 (3)). The
County will distribute the amount received to taxing districts by tax code area in the same proportion as it would
distribute property taxes (RCW 54.16.425 (4)).
For the purpose of this agreement,Jefferson County, PUD, and the Department of Revenue (DOR) will assess the
personal property assets of the broadband plant, being materials (both installed and inventory) and supplies.
No real property value is included in this agreement since such real estate is either public land that serves other
purposes, private taxed land, or property included with the PUD energy related privilege tax assessment.
This market assessment will be calculated in the same manner as other utilities are handled by DOR in that the
total determined value will be corrected for the localized ratio, which for personal property is 92.1%. DOR has
determined that the localized taxable value of the broadband assets in 2024 to be $1,565,700. For 2025 the
County agrees to use 50%of the calculated broadband assets for each Tax Area Code.
The distribution by Tax Code Area (TCA)for 2025 collection will be as follows:
Tax Code ! Vicinity Market PILT Taxable 2024 for 2025 PILT to be
Area Value Value (50%) Levy Rate Collected
i
City of Port
110 Townsend 259,095 129,548 8.7063489890 $ 1,127.89
_ ill Quimper less PT 365,452 182,726 8.3942215547 $ 1,533.84
211 Tri-Area 258,356 129,178 7.9268582334 $ 1,023.98
213 Port Ludlow Shine 406,729 203,364 7.9268582334 $ 1,612.04
323 Co le 276,068 138,034 7.6882204151 $ 1,061.24
Totals: 1,565,700 782,850 $ 6,358.91
PUD agrees to remit to Jefferson County $6,358.99 by April 30,2025 which the County Treasurer shall then
distribute to the taxing districts using the above stated TCAs.
Agreed By:
Mark McCauley, County Administrator Date
Kevin Streett, PUD General Manager Date
Approv a o only:
/;� // , 04/18/2025
elissa Pleimann Date
Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
CONTRACT REVIEW FORM Clear Form
(INSTRUCTIONS ARE ON THE NEXT PAGE)
CONTRACT WITH: Jefferson County PUD No. 1 Contract No: PILT-PUD 2025
Contract For: PILT payment Term: 2025
COUNTY DEPARTMENT: County Administrator's Office
Contact Person: Carolyn Gallaway
Contact Phone: 360-385-9122
Contact email: carolyn@co.jefferson.wa.us
AMOUNT: $6,358.98 PROCESS: Exempt from Bid Process
Revenue: Cooperative Purchase
Expenditure: Competitive Sealed Bid
Matching Funds Required: Small Works Roster
Sources(s) of Matching Funds Vendor List Bid
Fund # RFP or RFQ
Munis Org/Obj Other:
APPROVAL STEPS:
STEP 1: DEPARTMENT CERTIFIES COMPLJ4NCE WITH 3.55.080 AND CHAPTE 42.23 RCW.
CERTIFIED: F N/A:F Z
Signature Date
STEP 2: DEPARTMENT CERTIFIES PERSON PROPOSED FOR CONTRACTING WITH THE
COUNTY (CONTRACTOR) HAS NOT BEE DEBARRED BY ANY FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL
AGENCY.
CERTIFIED: F N/A: ��
_fk
ignature Date
STEP 3: RISK MANAGEMENT REVIEW (wi bj added electronically through Laserfiche):
STEP 4: PROSECUTING ATTORNEY REVIEW(will be added electronically through Laserfiche):
STEP 5: DEPARTMENT MAKES REVISIONS & RESUBMITS TO RISK MANAGEMENT AND
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY(IF REQUIRED).
STEP 6: CONTRACTOR SIGNS
STEP 7: SUBMIT TO BOCC FOR APPROVAL
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