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Property tax relief legislation introduced
by Reps. Miloscia, Priest
Bill would allow homeowners to
have property reassessed soon after
flood, storm damage
In
the wake of recent flood events in the 30th District and elsewhere,
Reps.
Mark Miloscia and
Skip Priest introduced legislation to aid property owners
with timely tax reassessments of storm-damaged land and structures.
Currently,
property owners with storm damage must pay property taxes based on the
value of their land and buildings before the storm. Then, they can ask
to be reimbursed the tax difference of the loss in property value. Under
House Bill 2231, homeowners could call the County
Assessor's office and ask for a new property tax assessment prior to
paying the previous assessed taxes, which would eliminate the need for a
request for a refund after the fact.
“This is all about the government responding quickly and efficiently in
a time of emergency for the citizens of Washington," said
Miloscia, D-Federal Way. "This bill will ultimately save both
government and homeowners both time and money. Who could oppose that?”
Miloscia and Priest added that
property owners will see a more streamlined process if this bill is
passed. The of this legislation, they said, is for homeowners to bypass
the paperwork to apply for a refund and keep tax dollars where they can
be used best after a devastating storm.
"There
are families in Pacific, Puyallup, and elsewhere in Washington, facing
difficult choices as a result of the storms and could use the tax relief
this bill would bring right now," said Priest,
R-Federal Way. "Changing current law to reflect the needs of families
facing a crisis is absolutely critical. This measure would keep more
money in homeowners' hands to clean up after a storm or make needed
repairs."
House Bill 2231 would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009
and allow for property owners to receive new property tax assessments
that reflect the value of the land and structures with storm damage
considerations.
Homeowners who had damage to their homes due to the recent flooding and
storm events can apply for a new property tax assessment under the
current program. To find out more information about this program, call
the Washington State Department of Revenue at 1-800-647-7706 or go
online at www.dor.wa.gov and click
on the "Relief available for flood/disaster victims" link.
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252
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