RESOLUTION NO. 335
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARNATION, WASHINGTON, PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE CITY AT THE NOVEMBER 4, 2008 ELECTION OF A PROPOSITION AUTHORIZING AN INCREASE IN THE REGULAR PROPERTY TAX RATE IN EXCESS OF THE INCREASE OTHERWISE ALLOWED BY CHAPTER 84.55 RCW FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND PARKS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PURPOSES; SETTING FORTH THE BALLOT TITLE THEREFORE; REQUESTING THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE KING COUNTY RECORDS, ELECTIONS, AND LICENSING DIVISION PLACE THE PROPOSITION ON THE NOVEMBER 4, 2008 ELECTION; AND FIXING THE TIME WHEN THE SAME SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE.
WHEREAS, the City of Carnation contracts for police and other criminal justice services; and
WHEREAS, the costs for these public safety services continue to increase and the City’s limited tax revenues are not able to keep pace; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Carnation have expressed their desire to maintain these critical services; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has agreed to ask the voters whether they are willing to fund the increasing costs for the police services contract and criminal justice expenses such as prosecution and jail costs through a levy lid lift; and
WHEREAS, the City’s limited budget has restricted the level of parks maintenance to a minimum; and
WHEREAS, quality parks are an important aspect of Carnation’s community and livability; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has agreed to ask the voters whether they are willing to fund parks maintenance and operations services through a levy lid lift; now therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARNATION, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Levy Lid Lift Election Called For. Pursuant to RCW 84.55.050, the Carnation City Council hereby calls for submission of a proposition to the qualified electors of the City asking whether the City shall levy regular property taxes in excess of the limitation established in RCW 84.55.010. The Director of the King County Records, Elections and Licensing Services Division, as ex officio supervisor of elections in King County, is hereby requested to call the election in the City of Carnation on November 4, 2008. The proposition to be submitted to the qualified voters of the City for their approval or rejection is to authorize increasing the City’s regular property tax levy by $0.26 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, to a total levy rate of $1.40 per one thousand dollars of assessed valuation, for collection beginning in 2009. For the years 2010 to 2014 the levy amount would increase by the percentage change in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), thereby setting the limit factor for the five succeeding years at 100 percent plus the percentage change in the CPI-U. The 2009 levy amount would become the base upon which levy increases would be computed for succeeding years.
Section 2. Purpose of Levy. The purpose of the proposed levy lid lift is to provide funding for increasing public safety services, including law enforcement operations, prosecution services and jail expenses, as well as additional parks operation and maintenance services.
Section 3. Ballot Proposition. The City Clerk is here by authorized and directed, not later than August 12, 2008, to certify a proposition to the King County Records, Elections and Licensing Services Division, as ex-officio Supervisor of Elections in King County Washington, in substantially the following form:
CITY OF CARNATION
PROPOSITION NO. 1
The Carnation City Council has passed Resolution No. 335 to place public safety services, including law enforcement operations, prosecution services and jail costs, as well as parks operations and maintenance funding before the voters.
For purposes of funding public safety and parks services, this proposition would increase the regular property tax rate for collection in 2009 to $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, which would be used to compute the limitation for subsequent levies, and would increase the levy amount for years 2010-2014 by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), thereby setting the limit factor at 100 percent plus the percentage change in the CPI.
Should this proposition be approved?
YES ___________
NO ___________
Section 4. Changes. The City Manager and City Attorney are authorized to make such minor adjustments to the wording of such proposition as may be recommended by the King County Records, Elections, and Licensing Services Division, as long as the intent of the proposition remains clear and consistent with the intent of this Resolution as approved by the City Council.
Section 5. Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and be in full force immediately upon passage by the City Council.
CITY OF CARNATION
MAYOR MIKE FLOWERS (signed)