This bill establishes a framework for county treasurers in Washington to recover costs associated with the billing, collection, and distribution of property taxes on behalf of various taxing districts. It introduces a new section to chapter 84.69 RCW, allowing county treasurers to set a cost recovery fee based on prior year actual costs, with specific exclusions and limitations. The first $50,000 of a district's aggregate collections is exempt from this fee, and the maximum fee is capped at one percent for larger counties and two percent for smaller counties. The bill also mandates that recovered costs be credited to a dedicated cost recovery fund for ongoing operations and requires treasurers to inform taxing districts of the fee by September 1st each year.

Additionally, the bill amends RCW 84.69.180 to allow taxing districts to levy taxes to reimburse themselves for costs incurred due to the county treasurer's cost recovery efforts. This includes provisions for funding refunds and for taxes abated or canceled, with the new language specifying that costs related to the treasurer's cost recovery can also be reimbursed. The amendments aim to streamline the financial processes for local governments and ensure that county treasurers can effectively manage their responsibilities while maintaining transparency and accountability in cost recovery.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 84.69.180