Considerations in creating special fund — Status of claims against fund — When lien attaches.
RCW 54.24.040
in effectIn creating any special fund for the payment of revenue obligations, the commission shall have due regard to the cost of operation and maintenance of the plant or system constructed or added to, and to any proportion or amount of the revenues previously pledged as a fund for the payment of revenue obligations, and shall not set aside into such special fund or funds a greater amount or proportion of the revenues and proceeds than in its judgment will be available over and above such cost of maintenance and operation and the amount or proportion, if any, of the revenues so previously pledged. Any such revenue obligations and interest thereon issued against any such fund as herein provided shall be a valid claim of the owner thereof only as against such special fund and the proportion or amount of the revenues pledged to such fund, but shall constitute a prior charge over all other charges or claims whatsoever, including the charge or lien of any general obligation bonds against such fund and the proportion or amount of the revenues pledged thereto. Such revenue obligations shall not constitute an indebtedness of such district within the meaning of the constitutional provisions and limitations. Each revenue obligation shall state on its face that it is payable from a special fund, naming such fund and the resolution creating it, or shall describe such alternate method for the payment thereof as shall be provided by the resolution authorizing same. It is the intention hereof that any pledge of the revenues or other moneys or obligations made by a district shall be valid and binding from the time that the pledge is made; that the revenues or other moneys or obligations so pledged and thereafter received by a district shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge without any physical delivery or further act, and that the lien of any such pledge shall be valid and binding as against any parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against a district irrespective of whether such parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution or other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded.
In creating any special fund for the payment of revenue obligations, the commission shall have due regard to the cost of operation and maintenance of the plant or system constructed or added to, and to any proportion or amount of the revenues previously pledged as a fund for the payment of revenue obligations, and shall not set aside into such special fund or funds a greater amount or proportion of the revenues and proceeds than in its judgment will be available over and above such cost of maintenance and operation and the amount or proportion, if any, of the revenues so previously pledged. Any such revenue obligations and interest thereon issued against any such fund as herein provided shall be a valid claim of the owner thereof only as against such special fund and the proportion or amount of the revenues pledged to such fund, but shall constitute a prior charge over all other charges or claims whatsoever, including the charge or lien of any general obligation bonds against such fund and the proportion or amount of the revenues pledged thereto. Such revenue obligations shall not constitute an indebtedness of such district within the meaning of the constitutional provisions and limitations. Each revenue obligation shall state on its face that it is payable from a special fund, naming such fund and the resolution creating it, or shall describe such alternate method for the payment thereof as shall be provided by the resolution authorizing same.
It is the intention hereof that any pledge of the revenues or other moneys or obligations made by a district shall be valid and binding from the time that the pledge is made; that the revenues or other moneys or obligations so pledged and thereafter received by a district shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge without any physical delivery or further act, and that the lien of any such pledge shall be valid and binding as against any parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against a district irrespective of whether such parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution or other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=54.24&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026