Every city having a population of over three hundred thousand may maintain an emergency fund, which fund balance shall not exceed thirty-seven and one-half cents per thousand dollars of assessed value. Such fund shall be maintained by an annual budget allowance. When the necessity therefor arises transfers may be made to the emergency fund from any tax-supported fund except bond interest and redemption funds.

The city council by an ordinance approved by two-thirds of all of its members may authorize the expenditure of sufficient money from the emergency fund, or other designated funds, to meet the expenses or obligations:

(1) Caused by fire, flood, explosion, storm, earthquake, epidemic, riot, insurrection, act of God, act of the public enemy or any other such happening that could not have been anticipated; or

(2) For the immediate preservation of order or public health or for the restoration to a condition of usefulness of public property the usefulness of which has been destroyed by accident; or

(3) In settlement of approved claims for personal injuries or property damages, exclusive of claims arising from the operation of a public utility owned by the city; or

(4) To meet mandatory expenditures required by laws enacted since the last budget was adopted.

The city council by an ordinance approved by three-fourths of all its members may appropriate from the emergency fund, or other designated funds, an amount sufficient to meet the actual necessary expenditures of the city for which insufficient or no appropriations have been made due to causes which could not reasonably have been foreseen at the time of the making of the budget.

An ordinance authorizing an emergency expenditure shall become effective immediately upon being approved by the mayor or upon being passed over his or her veto as provided by the city charter.

Severability—Effective dates—Construction—1973 1st ex.s. c 195: See notes following RCW 84.52.043.