(1) Notwithstanding RCW 84.36.010 or other
statutes to the contrary, the director shall pay by April 30th of
each year on game lands in each county, if requested by an
election under RCW 77.12.201, an amount in lieu of real property
taxes equal to that amount paid on similar parcels of open space
land taxable under chapter 84.34 RCW or the greater of seventy
cents per acre per year or the amount paid in 1984 plus an
additional amount for control of noxious weeds equal to that
which would be paid if such lands were privately owned. This
amount shall not be assessed or paid on department buildings,
structures, facilities, game farms, fish hatcheries, tidelands,
or public fishing areas of less than one hundred acres.
(2) "Game lands," as used in this section and RCW 77.12.201,
means those tracts one hundred acres or larger owned in fee by
the department and used for wildlife habitat and public
recreational purposes. All lands purchased for wildlife habitat,
public access or recreation purposes with federal funds in the
Snake River drainage basin shall be considered game lands
regardless of acreage.
(3) This section shall not apply to lands transferred after
April 23, 1990, to the department from other state agencies.
(4) The county shall distribute the amount received under
this section in lieu of real property taxes to all property
taxing districts except the state in appropriate tax code areas
the same way it would distribute local property taxes from
private property. The county shall distribute the amount
received under this section for weed control to the appropriate
weed district.
[2005 c 303 § 14; 1990 1st ex.s. c 15 § 11; 1984 c 214 § 2; 1980 c 78 § 37; 1965 ex.s. c 97 § 3.]
NOTES:
Effective date -- 2005 c 303 §§ 1-14: See note following RCW 79A.15.010.
Limitations -- 1990 1st ex.s. c 15: "Amounts saved by operation of section 11 of this act during the 1989-91 fiscal biennium may be used only for financing capital facilities." [1990 1st ex.s. c 15 § 12.]
Severability -- 1990 1st ex.s. c 15: See note following RCW 43.99H.010.
Effective date -- 1984 c 214: See note following RCW 77.12.201.
Effective date -- Intent, construction -- Savings -- Severability -- 1980 c 78: See notes following RCW 77.04.010.