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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>I think I just figured something out that has been bothering me for years. RCW 64.38.025(3) says how budgets are to be adopted by the Board, and then submitted to the membership for ratification; and the members ratify unless a majority of the total votes rejects it. I, along with others, assumed, based on what I still think are compelling reasons, that "budget" meant income and assessments as well as spending. But Sudden Valley v. Casey said that budget only refers to expenditures. I thought, and still think, this is absolutely wrong - one of the central purposes of the statute was to make sure that members got a right to vote on assessments, and it came about in part because of complaints from members that Boards were just passing assessments without member input.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>But what I was overlooking was that the result was, the budget for assessments, since it is not in the statutory process, comes from whatever the individual association bylaws say. So, when the bylaws say the Board imposes an assessment, then the Board imposes the assessment. The problem is shrunk to those associations that have governing documents that specify more difficult processes. And if there is nothing in the governing documents, well, then, the nonprofit statutes, 24.03 and 24.06; and the HOA Act; and most governing documents; say that the Board acts for the association. So the Board sets assessments. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>If this helps anyone, great. If I am wrong, please tell me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Rob <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Robert D. Wilson-Hoss <br>Hoss & Wilson-Hoss, LLP <br>236 West Birch Street <br>Shelton, WA 98584 <br>360 426-2999<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><a href="www.hossandwilsonhoss.com"><span style='color:blue'>www.hossandwilson-hoss.com</span></a><br><a href="mailto:rob@hctc.com"><span style='color:blue'>rob@hctc.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><i><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>This message is intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, you are hereby notified that any use, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify us by reply e-mail or by telephone (call us collect at the number listed above) and immediately delete this message and any and all of its attachments. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";text-transform:uppercase'>This office does debt collection and this e-mail may be an attempt to collect a debt, Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>To the extent the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. § 1692) applies this firm is acting as a debt collector for the condominium/homeowners' association named above to collect a debt owed to it. Any information obtained will be used for collection purposes. You have the right to seek advice of legal counsel.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>