It looks as if the commission held a special, hurry-up telephonic meeting after its 9 members heard the state Senate passed a bill that would diminish their numbers and give the governor authority to appoint the agency's executive director.

SB 5127 would shrink the board to 5 from 9 members. (I incorrectly said last week that the version that passed would have shrunken it 7 members from 9 members.

Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, chairman of the Senate Natural Resources, Oceans and Recreation Committee, said the bill still is being worked on and he plans to continue negotiations with Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, and (I think) Rep. Brian Blake.

WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION

Position Statement on SB 5127

During this morning’s Fish and Wildlife Commission conference call, the members discussed and approved a position statement regarding Senate Bill 5127. The statement is included at the end of this message.

The audio clip from this morning’s Commission conference call is available for listening on the Internet at:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2009/03/mar1309.html

The Commission is opposed to passage of SB 5127.

=> Read more!

Remember Proposition 1, that $18 billion ballot measure from last November? That's where voters in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties approved an additional 0.5 percent increase in the sales tax to pay for more light-rail, Sounder commuter rail and regional bus service. (OK. Most of Pierce County did vote "no" on that measure, but we're all joined at the hip.

That means the sales tax in most of Pierce County will rise from 8.8 percent to 9.3 percent.

Sound Transit 0.5% Sales Tax Increase Takes Effect April 1
Seattle, Wash., March 13, 2009 — The Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) sales tax will increase five-tenths of one percent to a total of nine-tenths of one percent on April 1.

The 0.5 percent increase was approved by voters last November. It will be used to expand and coordinate light-rail, commuter-rail, and express bus service, and improve access to transit facilities in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. The rate increase applies to the majority of urban areas in those counties.

Once the higher rate takes effect, overall general sales tax rates will be up to 9.5 percent in King County, 9.4 percent in Snohomish County, and 9.3 percent in Pierce County. Rates depend on exact locations within counties, cities and other taxing districts.

The Department provides a sales tax rate lookup tool accessible from http://dor.wa.gov. A publication showing tax rates for all locations beginning April 1 is available at http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/forms/ExcsTx/LocSalUseTx/LocalSlsUseFlyer_Quarterly.pdf. This publication includes new location codes for areas of Auburn, Bellevue and Woodinville that are outside the RTA boundaries.

Questions about the rate change also can be directed to the Department’s toll-free help line, 1-800-647-7706.

Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s Office employees have come forward to confirm the office skipped physical inspections of properties. So I asked the state Department of Revenue what – if anything – it will do to ensure the physical inspections are done here.

Department spokesman Mike Gowrylow responded with the following statement:

While the Department is dismayed to learn that the previous assessor was inaccurately reporting the number of physical inspections he conducted, we are pleased to see that the current assessor is taking steps to correct the problem. We stand by to provide technical assistance to the assessor’s office to help it conduct the physical inspections as required by state law. The law requires physical inspections, and we will be consulting with the assessor’s office to make sure they get done.

The very purpose of the annual progress reports we require of assessors is to alert us to any problems they may be having in meeting their obligations, so we can step in to render whatever assistance we can. We can’t help an assessor who conceals deficiencies by filing false reports. We appreciate the fact that assessors in many counties are under severe budget constraints that make it difficult for them to comply with property valuation laws, but that is no excuse for taking a liberal interpretation of what constitutes a physical inspection. The visual observation requirement is very clear in state law. However, there are no statutory penalties for failing to meet physical inspections requirements. Rather, following the law is the obligation of the elected county official. We expect these officials to comply with state law, and to manage their staffs to that end. Again, it is disappointing to learn that this wasn’t happening in Pierce County.