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1 percent property tax cap
reinstated,
more work to do on property tax relief
Statement from Rep. Cary Condotta
"Today the Legislature
passed House Bill 2416 reinstating the 1 percent property tax limit that
voters approved by 58 percent when they passed Initiative 747 in 2001.
This is a step in honoring what the voters said they wanted – property
tax certainty and strict limits on property tax growth.
With property taxes in the Twelfth District growing as quickly as they
have, this was a high priority. I know a lot of folks on a fixed income
are seeing double-digit increases they can’t afford – and that’s with
the 1 percent cap that’s been in place for several years.
Our future discussions should also address the property tax burden on
small businesses. When a business owner combines all of the state and
local taxes with their property tax bill, it’s a substantial amount of
money.
With the state and local government relying heavily on property tax and
fees to increase their budgets, broader reforms may be needed so we
don’t tax people out of their storefronts and homes.
We have more work to do to give citizens true property tax relief, but
House Bill 2416 was a positive step. I view this as the start of the
debate on how we protect homeowners and small businesses from
skyrocketing property assessments and taxes.
I am hopeful that when the Legislature reconvenes for the regular
session in January, it will continue its deliberation on additional
property tax reforms to better protect families and entrepreneurs from
excessive tax increases. I look forward to the discussion on ways to
give citizens predictable and affordable property taxes."
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252
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