Chapter 3.10
SALES AND USE TAX FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Sections:

3.10.010    Imposition of sales and use tax for affordable housing.

3.10.020    Purpose of tax.

3.10.030    Administration and collection—Statutory compliance.

3.10.010 Imposition of sales and use tax for affordable housing.

A. There is imposed a sales and use tax as authorized by Washington State Legislature Chapter 338, Laws of 2019, which shall be codified in Chapter 82.14 RCW, upon every taxable event, as defined in Chapter 82.14 RCW, occurring within the city of Kelso. The tax shall be imposed upon and collected from those persons from whom the state sales tax or use tax is collected pursuant to Chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW.

B. The rate of the tax imposed by this section shall be 0.0073 percent of the selling price or value of the article used.

C. The tax imposed under this section shall be deducted from the amount of tax otherwise required to be collected or paid to the Department of Revenue under Chapter 82.08 or 82.12 RCW. The Department of Revenue will perform the collection of such taxes on behalf of the city of Kelso at no cost to the city.

D. The Department of Revenue will calculate the maximum amount of tax distributions for the city of Kelso based on the taxable retail sales in the city in state fiscal year 2019, and the tax imposed under this section will cease to be distributed to the city of Kelso for the remainder of any state fiscal year in which the amount of tax exceeds the maximum amount of tax distributions for the city as properly calculated by the Department of Revenue. Distributions to the city of Kelso that have ceased during a state fiscal year shall resume at the beginning of the next state fiscal year. (Ord. 3945 § 2, 2020)

3.10.020 Purpose of tax.

A. The city may use the moneys collected by the tax imposed under Section 3.10.010 or bonds issued only for the following purposes:

1. Acquiring, rehabilitating, or constructing affordable housing, which may include new units of affordable housing within an existing structure or facilities providing supportive housing services under RCW 71.24.385; and

2. Providing the operations and maintenance costs of new units of affordable or supportive housing; and

3. Providing rental assistance to tenants.

B. The housing and services provided under this section may only be provided to persons whose income is at or below sixty percent of the median income of the city.

C. In determining the use of funds under this section, the city must consider the income of the individuals and families to be served, the leveraging of the resources made available under Section 3.10.010, and the housing needs within the city.

D. The finance director must report annually to the Washington State Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Department’s rules, on the collection and use of the revenue from the tax imposed under Section 3.10.010.

E. The tax imposed by the city under Section 3.10.010 will expire twenty years after the date on which the tax is first imposed. The finance director shall provide notice to the city council and the mayor of the expiration date of the tax each year beginning three years before the expiration date, and shall also promptly notify the city council and the mayor of any changes to the expiration date. (Ord. 3945 § 2, 2020)

3.10.030 Administration and collection—Statutory compliance.

The administration and collection of the tax imposed by this chapter shall be in accordance with the provisions of Washington State Legislature Chapter 338, Laws of 2019, which shall be codified in Chapter 82.14 RCW. (Ord. 3945 § 2, 2020)