ORDINANCE NO. 461

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF SOUTH PRAIRIE, PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION OF A PROPOSITION TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF SOUTH PRAIRIE AT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 2005 FOR THEIR RATIFICATION OR REJECTION, PROVIDING FOR AUTHORITY TO INCREASE THE PERMANENT REGULAR PROPERTY TAX BY 20 CENTS PER THOUSAND OF ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE TO $2.7568 PER $1000 OF ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE; SETTING FORTH THE BALLOT PROPOSITION; DIRECTING THE TOWN TREASURER/TOWN CLERK TO TRANSMIT TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS ORDINANCES; PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS PROPERLY RELATED THERETO; AND SETTING FORTH FACTS.

Whereas, the Town of South Prairie is a 4^thclass town located in Pierce County, Washington duly organized and existing pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington; and

Whereas, the Interlocal Agreement with the Pierce County Fire District 20 of November 5, 2003, paragraph 6, requires the Town to endeavor to match the District's suppression levy rate, and

Whereas, Pierce County Fire District 20 has increased its levy and requests the Town to match, and

Whereas, the Town has an unused portion of its permanent regular property tax authority; and

Whereas, the Town Council is required to submit to voters to ratify or reject an increase in the regular permanent property tax on real property within the Town; and

Whereas, the proceeds of an increase in the regular property tax on real property will provide funding for the continuation of necessary services provided by the Town to its citizens.

Ordinance No.: 461

Draft No.: 1

Draft Date: July 19, 2005 Ordinance Requested By: Page 1

Now, therefore, the Town Council of the Town of South Prairie, Pierce County, Washington do ordain as follows:

Section 1: An election is hereby requested to be called, conducted and held within the Town on Tuesday, November 1, 2005, for the purposes of submitting to the qualified electors of the Town for their ratification or rejection, a proposition to raise the permanent regular property tax on real property within the Town to an amount of $2.7568 per $1,000 assessed value on property within the Town from and after January 1, 2006.

Section 2: That the proposition to be submitted to the electorate of the Town shall read substantially as follows:

PROPERTY TAX LEVY PROPOSITION

In order to provide funds for fire and police protection and for other purposes deemed necessary by the Town Council, shall the Town of South Prairie increase the permanent regular property tax by 20 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value on real property to the amount of $2.7568 per $1,000 assessed value on real property within the Town from and after January 1, 2006.

Instructions to Voters

To vote in favor of the foregoing proposition, mark a cross (x) in the box "Tax levy, Yes" square.

To vote against the foregoing proposition, mark a cross (x) in the box "Tax levy, No"

Tax levy, Yes q

Tax levy, No q

Section 3: The special election will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2005. Polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 8:00 p.m., when they will close.

Ordinance No.: 461

Draft No.: 1

Draft Date: July 19, 2005 Ordinance Requested By: Page 2

Section 4: The location of the polling places shall be determined by the Pierce County Auditor, as ex officio Supervisor of Elections for the Town.

Section 5: In the event the proposition specified in Section 2 above is approved, there shall be levied and collected a permanent regular annual tax on real property in the Town in the amount of $2.7568 per $1,000 assessed valuation in each year commencing January 1, 2006.

Section 6: The Town Council hereby finds and declares an emergency exists, due to the need to replace revenues lost by the passage of Initiative 695. Said emergency requires the Town to conduct an election at the next election date, and requires the submission to qualified electors of the Town for the ratification or rejection at said election, the proposition as set forth above. The Town Clerk/Treasurer or designee representative is hereby authorized and directed to deliver a copy of this ordinance to the Pierce County Auditor, as the Town's ex officio Supervisor of Elections at least 45 days prior to the election date.

Section 7: The Pierce County Auditor, as the Town's ex officio Supervisor of Elections is hereby requested to also find the existence of such emergency and to deem the same to exist and call and conduct said election on Tuesday, November 1, 2005, and submit to the qualified electors of the Town the proposition set forth herein.

Section 8: The Pierce County Auditor shall cause a notice of election substantially in the form attached as Exhibit "A" referred to herein, to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within the Town. Such publication shall take place not more than 10 days or less than three days prior to November 1, 2005.

Ordinance No.: 461

Draft No.: 1

Draft Date: July 19, 2005 Ordinance Requested By: Page 3

Section 9: The Pierce County Auditor, as the Town's ex officio Supervisor of Elections shall conduct the election, canvas the vote and certify the results in the manner provided by law.

Section 10: This ordinance shall be in full force and take effect five (5) days from and after its passage, approval and publication as required by law.

Section 11: If any provision of this ordinance is determined to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason the remaining provisions shall remain in force and affect.

Section 12: The findings of fact as set forth above are hereby incorporated by reference.

Mayor Layne Ross

INTRODUCED__ 8-1-05

PASSED_ 8-1-05___

APPROVED_ 8-1-05

PUBLISHED 8-17-05 /7 -05
Attested:

Approved as to form:

Exhibit "A"

PROPERTY TAX LEVY PROPOSITION

In order to provide funds for fire protection and for other purposes deemed necessary by the Town Council, shall the Town of South Prairie increase the permanent regular property tax by 20 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value on real property to the amount of $2.7568 per $1,000 assessed value on real property within the Town from and after January 1, 2006.

Instructions to Voters

To vote in favor of the foregoing proposition, mark a cross (x) in the box "Tax levy, Yes" square.

To vote against the foregoing proposition, mark a cross (x) in the box "Tax levy, No"

Tax levy, Yes Tax levy, No q