Opinion ID: 1150068
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: ekness and rogstad case

Text: [4, 5] In effect, Ekness and Rogstad argue that the voters of King County in approving ordinance No. 4341 were acting as a legislative body. All legislative bodies, which would include the voters when acting in a legislative capacity, are presumed to have full knowledge of existing statutes affecting the matter upon which they are legislating. Sim v. State Parks & Recreation Comm'n, 90 Wn.2d 378, 382, 583 P.2d 1193 (1978). In this instance, RCW 36.67.040 established the effective maximum interest rate that could be paid on county general obligation bonds at 8 percent per year. Thus, when the voters approved the sale of general obligation bonds under ordinance No. 4341, they were authorizing bonds that could bear an effective maximum yearly interest rate of only 8 percent, nothing more. We agree with the above contention. Without further authorization from its voters, the general obligation bonds here concerned may not be sold by King County with a greater effective maximum annual interest rate than 8 percent. The fact that the state legislature, subsequent to the November 6, 1979, election which authorized the bonds, amended RCW 36.67.040 to permit county general obligation bonds to bear an effective maximum interest rate of 12 percent is of no consequence. It follows that the purported sale by King County of its bonds on April 7, 1980, providing for an effective maximum yearly interest rate of 8.4436 percent must fail. The sale of general obligation bonds at such rate of interest was not authorized by the voters. A number of cases were cited and discussed by both parties in their briefs and oral arguments to this court. Under the view we take of this matter, all the cited cases are either distinguishable or inapplicable. We do not hold that the voters may not authorize a bond issue that would permit a different maximum interest rate than the statutory maximum existing at the time of the voter approval. What is authorized depends upon what is submitted to the electorate. Here, we hold that under the circumstances existing, an 8 percent effective maximum interest rate is all that was authorized. Ekness and Rogstad have requested a reasonable attorney's fee for the services of their lawyer in the trial court and in this court. We agree that they are so entitled. While evidence and argument were advanced regarding an attorney's fee when the matter was heard here, we prefer to remand to the trial court for the fixing of this fee. The case of Louthan v. King County is affirmed. The case of Ekness and Rogstad v. King County is reversed and remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent herewith. It is so ordered. UTTER, C.J., and ROSELLINI, STAFFORD, WRIGHT, BRACHTENBACH, HOROWITZ, DOLLIVER, and WILLIAMS, JJ., concur.