WAC 458-30-590. Rate of inflation — Publication — Interest rate — Calculation

(1) Introduction. This rule provides the rates of inflation discussed in RCW 84.34.330 and WAC 458-30-550 Exemption — Removal or withdrawal. It also explains the department of revenue's (department) obligation to annually publish a rate of inflation and the manner in which this rate is determined. (2) General duty of department - Basis for inflation rate. Each year the department determines and publishes a rule establishing an annual rate of inflation. This rate of inflation is used in computing the interest that is assessed when farm and agricultural or timber land, which are exempt from special benefit assessments, is withdrawn or removed from current use classification. (a) The rate of inflation is based on the implicit price deflator for personal consumption expenditures calculated by the United States Department of Commerce. This rate is used to calculate the rate of interest collected on exempt special benefit assessments. (b) The rate is published by December 31st of each year and applies to all withdrawals or removals from the farm and agricultural or timber land classifications that occur the following year. (3) Assessment of rate of interest. An owner of classified farm and agricultural or timber land is liable for interest on the exempt special benefit assessment. Interest accrues from the date the local improvement district is created until the land is withdrawn or removed from classification. Interest accrues and is assessed in accordance with WAC 458-30-550 . (a) Interest is assessed only for the time (years and months) the land remains classified under RCW 84.34.020 (2) or (3). (b) If the classified land is exempt from the special benefit assessment for more than one year, the annual inflation rates are used to calculate an average rate of interest. This average is determined by adding the inflation rate for each year the classified land was exempt from the special benefit assessment after the local improvement district was created. The sum of the inflation rates is then divided by the number of years involved to determine the applicable rate of interest. (c) Example. A local improvement district for a domestic water supply system was created in January 2010 and the owner used the statutory exemption provided in RCW 84.34.320 . On July 1, 2017, the land was removed from the farm and agricultural classification. An average interest rate was calculated using the inflation rates for 2010 through 2017. The owner was then notified of the amount of previously exempt special benefit assessment, plus the average interest rate. (4) Rates of inflation. The rates of inflation used to calculate the interest as required by WAC 458-30-550 are as follows: YEAR PERCENT YEAR PERCENT 1976 5.6 1977 6.5 1978 7.6 1979 11.3 1980 13.5 1981 10.3 1982 6.2 1983 3.2 1984 4.3 1985 3.5 1986 1.9 1987 3.7 1988 4.1 1989 4.8 1990 5.4 1991 4.2 1992 3.3 1993 2.7 1994 2.2 1995 2.3 1996 2.2 1997 2.1 1998 0.85 1999 1.42 2000 2.61 2001 1.89 2002 1.16 2003 1.84 2004 2.39 2005 2.54 2006 3.42 2007 2.08 2008 4.527 2009 -0.85 (negative) 2010 1.539 2011 2.755 2012 1.295 2013 1.314 2014 1.591 2015 0.251 2016 0.953 2017 1.553 2018 2.169 2019 1.396 2020 0.602 2021 3.860 2022 6.457 2023 3.67 2024 2.57 2025 2.44 YEAR PERCENT YEAR PERCENT 1976 5.6 1977 6.5 1978 7.6 1979 11.3 1980 13.5 1981 10.3 1982 6.2 1983 3.2 1984 4.3 1985 3.5 1986 1.9 1987 3.7 1988 4.1 1989 4.8 1990 5.4 1991 4.2 1992 3.3 1993 2.7 1994 2.2 1995 2.3 1996 2.2 1997 2.1 1998 0.85 1999 1.42 2000 2.61 2001 1.89 2002 1.16 2003 1.84 2004 2.39 2005 2.54 2006 3.42 2007 2.08 2008 4.527 2009 -0.85 (negative) 2010 1.539 2011 2.755 2012 1.295 2013 1.314 2014 1.591 2015 0.251 2016 0.953 2017 1.553 2018 2.169 2019 1.396 2020 0.602 2021 3.860 2022 6.457 2023 3.67 2024 2.57 2025 2.44