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Jan. 23, 2009
Dear friends and neighbors,
It is an honor to be once again representing you and
the folks of the 12th District at the state Capitol in
Olympia. I'm also glad to be communicating with you
again through my e-newsletter.
The 2009 legislative session began Jan. 12. We are
scheduled to be in session for 105 days. This is the
year a new budget is crafted to pay for state services
and operations for the next two years. As you have
probably heard, we are facing some serious challenges
this year because there's a budget deficit that could
most likely exceed $7 billion.
I'll be discussing the budget challenges in further
detail during future e-newsletters. Today, however, I'd
like to focus on an issue that is really a problem for
many of our home- and property owners in the 12th
District -- skyrocketing property taxes.
Many people are losing their jobs. Some people are
just barely hanging on. Families are wondering if
they'll have enough money to buy groceries and still
make the monthly mortgage payment. And then comes the
property tax bill. It can be really frustrating.
That's why I'm taking action in this legislative
session to help our home- and property owners. Please
take a look below at the proposal I've laid out.
I appreciate your comments as we work together for
solutions for a better Washington.
Sincerely,
Mike Armstrong
State Representative
12th Legislative District
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Providing
property tax relief
Something is
seriously wrong when folks have to make a choice
between putting food on the table or making
their property tax payment.
In the Wenatchee
Valley, up in the Leavenworth area, through
Chelan, and even into the Methow Valley, people
who have lived in their homes for generations
are now having to make the difficult decision of
whether or not to sell because they can no
longer afford to pay their property taxes.
I'm working
during this legislative session to keep families
in their homes by providing significant property
tax relief they deserve.
On the first day
of this year's legislative session, I introduced
House Bill 1027. Under
this measure, the state property tax levy would
be incrementally reduced over six years until it
is entirely eliminated. |
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Twenty-four percent of the property taxes you
pay go into that deep, dark hole known as the
state general fund where it gets lost in the
mix. The other 76 percent stays in the local
community.
Under my proposal, the state's
portion of the property tax would be reduced by
4 percent each year until it is entirely
eliminated in six years.
The reduction is done
incrementally so it is not such a big impact on
the state budget. By gradually reducing the tax,
it gives the Legislature latitude to correct the
state's budget problems by the time the
legislation is fully implemented.
I've also introduced
House Joint Resolution 4200. If approved by
the Legislature, this measure would ask voters
in November whether to cap annual property tax
assessments at 1 percent per year.
Both of these measures are in
the House Finance Committee and I am working to
get hearings scheduled.
I appreciate your input as we
work to keep people in their homes.
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Megan Quick
serves as page
I would like to extend my
gratitude to Megan Quick, who served as my page
during the first week of the legislative
session.
Megan, 15, and her parents,
David and Cirri Quick of East Wenatchee, are
good friends.
Megan is a sophomore at
Eastmont Junior High School. During her week
here in Olympia, she helped deliver documents
and important messages to legislators. She also
attended page school during the day and learned
about the legislative process.
Our page program is a great
opportunity for young people between the ages of
14 and 16 to have hands-on experience in the
Legislature. They meet young people from all
over the state and live with a host family in
Olympia during the week-long program.
If you know of a young person
who is interested in paging, contact my office
and
click here to download the page application. |
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