Washington Real Estate Taxes

[RodFarlee]

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

...the property tax is based completely on the city and county budgets, and not on the assessed values of the property.
The assessed values only determine the portion for each home in relation to the others...
The total amount if the taxes is controlled at the ballot box.

This is state law, and applies in every county in Washington. Total property tax revenues are allowed to increase only 1% per year, unless voters in the tax district have approved a higher increase. We vote on is the total tax revenue dollars, not the tax rate.

Taxes on an individual property can increase by more than 1% only if it appreciates more rapidly than the average property in the county. If a property appreciates more slowly than the average, its taxes decrease.

[RodFarlee]

Originally Posted by predictable tax

...Washington's prop tax system can only be changed by constitutional amendment which is an incredible uphill battle... I hope many people read this and work toward change to make property taxes more equitable.

This group seeks to "make property taxes more equitable" by removing the state constitutional provision that taxes be "uniform and equal"... now, why does something smell funny here?

This group only talks about lowering their own taxes, never about raising taxes on others (or raising new taxes, such as a state income tax). How do they propose to balance the books? They don't.

Reality check: this group is in denial.

I am sympathetic to this group, but the "incredible uphill battle" is finding anyone who supports it who is willing and capable of joining a serious, realistic discussion of the tax system.