Voters put a cap on property taxes, but lawmakers may soon erase it
OLYMPIA — Cash-strapped local governments edged closer Tuesday to getting rid of the 1 percent cap on annual property tax increases that voters imposed a generation ago — and they say has left them struggling ever since.
A bill allowing annual hikes up to 3 percent passed the Democratic-controlled House Finance Committee on a party-line vote. If approved, it would go into effect beginning next year.
City and county council members, firefighters and other civic leaders lobbied hard for the increase as a tool to bring stability to budgets and assure they can provide services amid inflationary pressures and population growth.
They asked for the ability to do what’s right for their community, said Rep. April Berg, D-Mill Creek, the committee chair.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/voters-put-a-cap-on-property-taxes-but-lawmakers-may-soon-erase-it/
