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Armstrong seeks tax relief for homeowners, farmers
Proposed legislation reinstates 1 percent limit,
provides $400 rebates
With the state holding a
$2 billion surplus of taxpayers' money,
Rep. Mike
Armstrong wants to give
some of that money back to homeowners and limit future property tax
increases.
Armstrong, R-Wenatchee,
has co-sponsored
House Bill 2117 and
House Bill 2272. Both measures would reinstate property tax increase limits to 1
percent per year. Those limits were contained in Initiative 747,
approved by voters in 2001, but were
struck down last year by King County Superior Court Judge Mary Roberts.
"Last year, we held
meetings in the 12th District to talk about property taxes. What we're
hearing loud and clear is that the taxes are too high and it just cannot
continue without having severe impacts. People's property taxes are
going up by leaps and bounds. There are folks that have worked all their
lives to pay off their homes so they could retire and they're worried
that they will have to go back to work just to pay the taxes on their
homes," said Armstrong. "So folks are telling us that we need to supply
some relief to them and work this issue really hard because it is one of
their top priorities."
A hearing was held Tuesday
in the House Finance Committee on House Bill 2117, but no action has
been taken.
House Bill 2272 would also provide a $400 rebate for every Washington property owner
who paid property taxes on their primary residence in 2006.
"We came into this
legislative session with a huge surplus of two billion dollars. There
are those of us who think that instead of spending that money, we should
give it back to the citizens of Washington. Rebating on property tax is
an idea we think makes sense," said Armstrong. "When you give money back
to people, they tend to plug that money right back into the economy in
the way of spending. It generates all kinds of economic advantages for
not only those people who have received the rebate, but to local
businesses and to the state."
The measure also contains
provisions that would allow rebate recipients to send the money back to
the state, if they wish, and designate the money to be used for
education, health care, state parks, transportation or the general fund.
Armstrong has also
co-sponsored
House Bill 2270, a measure that would provide tax relief for farmers
by eliminating tax, interest and penalty provisions for land valued
under the open space program.
"Under the growth
management act, farmers are not allowed to subdivide property. They're
in a quandary because they have to keep farming the land and yet the
state keeps taxing them out of it," said Armstrong. "They're also
overregulated so they can't use all of their property. And they just
keep getting taxed more. It's a vicious cycle and we need to provide
some relief to them."
House Bill 2272 and House
Bill 2270 have been referred to the House Finance Committee.
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For more information, contact: John
Sattgast, Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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