City business license and tax bills heard last week

A city business license and tax proposal, EHB 2005, was heard in the Senate Commerce, Labor & Sports Committee last week. Thanks to Jan Hawn, Renton Finance Director, for testifying in support of extending the date for cities to choose to participate in FileLocal for licensing by three years, to July 2020. AWC also testified in support of changes to the bill that would remove responsibility from the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) for staffing the apportionment workgroup and removing the population threshold of 500 for the hardship exemption from joining the business licensing system.

ESSB 5777 was heard on Friday in the House Finance Committee, and AWC testified in support of this more favorable version of the bill for cities. Thanks to Mike Folkers, Aberdeen Finance Director, for testifying on the more flexible approach to providing hardship exemptions for joining the business licensing system.

AWC continues to work on a compromise that assists businesses by streamlining the license process while protecting local authority.