RCW 73.08.080: Tax levy authorized.

(1)(a) The legislative authority in each county must levy, in addition to the taxes now levied by law, a tax in a sum equal to the amount that would be raised by not less than 1.125 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, and not greater than 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed value against the taxable property of their respective counties, to be levied and collected as now prescribed by law for the assessment and collection of taxes, for the purpose of creating a veterans' assistance fund.

(b) The levy required in this section must be:

(i) Imposed by the legislative authority of the county as a separate levy, independent of the regular property tax levy authorized in RCW 84.52.043(1)(b); or

(ii) Imposed by the legislative authority of the county as part of its levy authorized in RCW 84.52.043(1)(b).

(2) Expenditures from the veterans' assistance fund, and interest earned on balances from the fund, may be used only for:

(a) The veterans' assistance programs authorized by RCW 73.08.010;

(b) The lawful disposition of the remains as defined in RCW 68.04.020 of a deceased indigent veteran or deceased family member of an indigent veteran as authorized by RCW 73.08.070; and

(c) The direct and indirect costs incurred in the administration of the fund as authorized by subsection (3) of this section.

(3) If the funds on deposit in the veterans' assistance fund, less outstanding warrants, on the first Tuesday in September exceeds the expected yield of 1.125 cents per $1,000 of assessed value against the taxable property of the county, the county legislative authority may levy a lesser amount than would otherwise be required under subsection (1) of this section.

(4) The direct and indirect costs incurred in the administration of the veterans' assistance fund must be computed by the county auditor, or the chief financial officer in a county operating under a charter, not less than annually. Following the computation of these direct and indirect costs, an amount equal to these costs may then be transferred from the veterans' assistance fund to the county current expense fund.