Inquiry of the Week (5/28/01)

Question:

May a city waive a building permit fee for city fire department and wastewater treatment projects?

Answer:

No, a city may not waive the building permit fee. This answer is based upon the "state accountancy act," RCW 43.09.210, which states in part:

All service rendered by, or property transferred from, one department, public improvement, undertaking, institution, or public service industry to another, shall be paid for at its true and full value by the department, public improvement, undertaking, institution, or public service industry receiving the same, and no department, public improvement, undertaking, institution, or public service industry shall benefit in any financial manner whatever by an appropriation or fund made for the support of another.

Under this statute, each city department must pay for the services it receives from another city department, regardless of whether the two departments are in the same or different funds.