Public facilities districts — Creation — Approval of taxes by election — Corporate powers — Property transfer — Agreements.
RCW 36.100.010
in effect(1) One or more public facilities districts may be created in any county and must be coextensive with the boundaries of the county. (2) A public facilities district is created upon adoption of a resolution providing for the creation of such a district by the county legislative authority in which the proposed district is located. (3) A public facilities district is a municipal corporation, an independent taxing "authority" within the meaning of Article VII, section 1 of the state Constitution, and a "taxing district" within the meaning of Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution. (4) Except as provided in RCW 36.100.040 (4) and (5), no taxes authorized under this chapter may be assessed or levied unless a majority of the voters of the public facilities district has approved such tax at a general or special election. A single ballot proposition may both validate the imposition of the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.048 and the excise tax under RCW 36.100.040 (1). (5)(a) A public facilities district constitutes a body corporate and possesses all the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes as well as all other powers that may now or hereafter be specifically conferred by statute, including, but not limited to, the authority to hire employees, staff, and services, to enter into contracts, including contracts with public and private parties, to acquire, own, sell, transfer, lease, and otherwise acquire or dispose of property, to grant concessions under terms approved by the public facilities district, and to sue and be sued. (b) A public facilities district created by a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more to acquire, own, and operate a convention and trade center transferred from a public nonprofit corporation may continue to contract with the Seattle-King county convention and visitors' bureau or its successor in interest for marketing the convention and trade center facility and services. (6) A public facilities district may enter into contracts with a county for the purpose of exercising any powers of a community renewal agency under chapter 35.81 RCW. (7) The legislative authority of a city or county, the board of directors of a public nonprofit corporation, or the state of Washington may transfer property to a public facilities district created under this chapter, with or without consideration. No property that is encumbered with debt or that is in need of major capital renovation may be transferred to the district without the agreement of the district and revenues adequate to retire the existing indebtedness. (8) A public facilities district may enter into agreements with the state, any municipal corporation, or any other governmental entity for the design, financing, acquisition, development, construction, reconstruction, lease, remodeling, alteration, maintenance, equipping, reequipping, repair, operation, or management of one or more facilities of the parties thereto. Agreements may provide that any party to the contract designs, finances, acquires, develops, constructs, reconstructs, remodels, alters, maintains, equips, reequips, repairs, and operates one or more facilities for the other party or parties to the contract. A public facilities district may enter into an agreement with the state, any municipal corporation, or other public or private entity that will assist a public facilities district in the financing of all or any part of a district facility on such terms as may be determined by agreement between the respective parties, including without limitation by a loan, guaranty, or other financing agreement.
(1) One or more public facilities districts may be created in any county and must be coextensive with the boundaries of the county.
(2) A public facilities district is created upon adoption of a resolution providing for the creation of such a district by the county legislative authority in which the proposed district is located.
(3) A public facilities district is a municipal corporation, an independent taxing "authority" within the meaning of Article VII, section 1 of the state Constitution, and a "taxing district" within the meaning of Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution.
(4) Except as provided in RCW 36.100.040 (4) and (5), no taxes authorized under this chapter may be assessed or levied unless a majority of the voters of the public facilities district has approved such tax at a general or special election. A single ballot proposition may both validate the imposition of the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.048 and the excise tax under RCW 36.100.040 (1).
(5)(a) A public facilities district constitutes a body corporate and possesses all the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes as well as all other powers that may now or hereafter be specifically conferred by statute, including, but not limited to, the authority to hire employees, staff, and services, to enter into contracts, including contracts with public and private parties, to acquire, own, sell, transfer, lease, and otherwise acquire or dispose of property, to grant concessions under terms approved by the public facilities district, and to sue and be sued.
(b) A public facilities district created by a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more to acquire, own, and operate a convention and trade center transferred from a public nonprofit corporation may continue to contract with the Seattle-King county convention and visitors' bureau or its successor in interest for marketing the convention and trade center facility and services.
(6) A public facilities district may enter into contracts with a county for the purpose of exercising any powers of a community renewal agency under chapter 35.81 RCW.
(7) The legislative authority of a city or county, the board of directors of a public nonprofit corporation, or the state of Washington may transfer property to a public facilities district created under this chapter, with or without consideration. No property that is encumbered with debt or that is in need of major capital renovation may be transferred to the district without the agreement of the district and revenues adequate to retire the existing indebtedness.
(8) A public facilities district may enter into agreements with the state, any municipal corporation, or any other governmental entity for the design, financing, acquisition, development, construction, reconstruction, lease, remodeling, alteration, maintenance, equipping, reequipping, repair, operation, or management of one or more facilities of the parties thereto. Agreements may provide that any party to the contract designs, finances, acquires, develops, constructs, reconstructs, remodels, alters, maintains, equips, reequips, repairs, and operates one or more facilities for the other party or parties to the contract. A public facilities district may enter into an agreement with the state, any municipal corporation, or other public or private entity that will assist a public facilities district in the financing of all or any part of a district facility on such terms as may be determined by agreement between the respective parties, including without limitation by a loan, guaranty, or other financing agreement.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.100&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026