Section 5.03.100 Deductions

(1) Compensation from public entities for health or social welfare services - exception. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts received from the United States or any instrumentality thereof or from the State of Washington or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof as compensation for, or to support, health or social welfare services rendered by a health or social welfare organization (as defined in RCW 82.04.431) or by a municipal corporation or political subdivision, except deductions are not allowed under this subsection for amounts that are received under an employee benefit plan. For purposes of this subsection, "employee benefit plan" includes the military benefits program authorized in 10 USC Sec. 1071 et seq., as amended, or amounts payable pursuant thereto.

(2) Interest on investments or loans secured by mortgages or deeds of trust. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax by those engaged in banking, loan, security or other financial businesses, amounts derived from interest received on investments or loans primarily secured by first mortgages or trust deeds on non-transient residential properties.

(3) Interest on obligations of the state, its political subdivisions, and municipal corporations. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax by those engaged in banking, loan, security or other financial businesses, amounts derived from interest paid on all obligations of the State of Washington, its political subdivisions, and municipal corporations organized pursuant to the laws thereof.

(4) Interest on loans to farmers and ranchers, producers or harvesters of aquatic products, or their cooperatives. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts derived as interest on loans to bona fide farmers and ranchers, producers or harvesters of aquatic products, or their cooperatives by a lending institution which is owned exclusively by its borrowers or members and which is engaged solely in the business of making loans and providing finance-related services to bona fide farmers and ranchers, producers or harvesters of aquatic products, their cooperatives, rural residents for housing, or persons engaged in furnishing farm-related or aquatic-related services to these individuals or entities.

(5) Receipts from tangible personal property delivered outside the State. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax under retailing or wholesaling amounts derived from the sale of tangible personal property that is delivered by the seller to the buyer or the buyer’s representative at a location outside the State of Washington.

(6) Cash discount taken by purchaser. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax the cash discount amounts actually taken by the purchaser. This deduction is not allowed in arriving at the taxable amount under the extracting or manufacturing classifications with respect to articles produced or manufactured, the reported values of which, for the purposes of this tax, have been computed according to the "value of product" provisions.

(7) Credit losses of accrual basis taxpayers. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax the amount of credit losses actually sustained by taxpayers whose regular books of account are kept upon an accrual basis.

(a) In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts used solely for repair, maintenance, replacement, management, or improvement of the residential structures and commonly held property, but excluding property where fees or charges are made for use by the public who are not guests accompanied by a member, which are derived by:

(i) A cooperative housing association, corporation, or partnership from a person who resides in a structure owned by the cooperative housing association, corporation, or partnership;

(ii) An association of owners of property as defined in RCW 64.32.010, as now or hereafter amended, from a person who is an apartment owner as defined in RCW 64.32.010; or

(iii) An association of owners of residential property from a person who is a member of the association. "Association of owners of residential property" means any organization of all the owners of residential property in a defined area who all hold the same property in common within the area.

(b) For the purposes of this subsection "commonly held property" includes areas required for common access such as reception areas, halls, stairways, parking, etc., and may include recreation rooms, swimming pools and small parks or recreation areas; but is not intended to include more grounds than are normally required in a residential area, or to include such extensive areas as required for golf courses, campgrounds, hiking and riding areas, boating areas, etc.

(i) The salary or compensation paid to officers, managers, or employees must be only for actual services rendered and at levels comparable to the salary or compensation of like positions within the county wherein the property is located;

(9) Sales at wholesale or retail of precious metal bullion and monetized bullion. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of the tax amounts derived from the sale at wholesale or retail of precious metal bullion and monetized bullion. However, no deduction is allowed on amounts received as commissions upon transactions for the accounts of customers over and above the amount paid to other dealers associated in such transactions, and no deduction or offset is allowed against such commissions on account of salaries or commissions paid to salesmen or other employees.

(10) Amounts representing rental of real estate for boarding homes. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts representing the value of the rental of real estate for "boarding homes." To qualify for the deduction, the boarding home must meet the definition of "boarding home, and licensed by the State of Washington under RCW 18.20. The deduction shall be in the amount of twenty-five percent (25%) of the gross monthly billing when the boarder has resided within the boarding home for longer than thirty (30) days.

(11) Radio and television broadcasting - advertising agency fees - national, regional, and network advertising - interstate allocations. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of tax by radio and television broadcasters amounts representing the following:

(a) advertising agencies' fees when such fees or allowances are shown as a discount or price reduction in the billing or that the billing is on a net basis, i.e., less the discount;

(c) local advertising revenue that represent advertising which is intended to reach potential customers of the advertiser who are located outside the State of Washington. The Director may issue a rule that provides detailed guidance as to how these deductions are to be calculated.

(12) Constitutional prohibitions. In computing tax, there may be deducted from the measure of the tax amounts derived from business which the City is prohibited from taxing under the Constitution of the State of Washington or the Constitution of the United States.
(13) Receipts From the Sale of Tangible Personal Property and Retail Services Delivered Outside the City but Within Washington. Effective January 1, 2008, amounts included in the gross receipts reported on the tax return derived from the sale of tangible personal property delivered to the buyer or the buyer’s representative outside the City but within the State of Washington may be deducted from the measure of tax under the retailing, retail services, or wholesaling classification.

(14) Professional employer services. In computing the tax, a professional employer organization may deduct from the calculation of gross income the gross income of the business derived from performing professional employer services that is equal to the portion of the fee charged to a client that represents the actual cost of wages and salaries, benefits, workers' compensation, payroll taxes, withholding, or other assessments paid to or on behalf of a covered employee by the professional employer organization under a professional employer agreement.