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Ericksen votes to reinstate
I-747, will of people
Lawmaker says more needs to be done to help
taxpayers, control state spending
State Rep. Doug Ericksen
today voted to reinstate Initiative 747 and the will of the people. The
bill he supported prohibits taxing districts from increasing their tax
levies by more than one percent a year without voter approval.
I-747 passed with 58 percent of the vote in 2001, but was struck down by
the state Supreme Court earlier this month. House Republicans urged the
governor to call a special session to address the issue – and she
agreed.
“I’m happy to honor the will of the people and provide homeowners some
certainty about their property taxes. House Republicans pushed hard to
address this issue in 2006 and in the 2007 legislative session, and we
are happy the governor finally saw it our way,” said Ericksen,
R-Ferndale. “I do hope people understand the bill passed today isn’t
exactly what voters wanted when they passed both I-722 and I-747. The
legislation does not address the issue of banked capacity and this could
result in taxing districts increasing people’s property taxes beyond one
percent.”
Ericksen supported legislation that would have required voter approval
to use banked property tax levy capacity, but House Democrats prevented
it from moving forward.
“The most important thing state lawmakers can do is control state
spending. If we can’t control spending, we can’t control taxes,” said
Ericksen. “What we’re seeing is the public’s view on increasing taxes
colliding with the reality that state spending has increased
thirty-three percent since Governor Gregoire took office.”
Ericksen voted “no” on another measure he feels is predatory toward and
will lead to more debt for lower income homeowners. It creates a
property tax deferral option for homeowners who make less than $57,000 a
year. The measure allows eligible homeowners to defer 50 percent of
their property taxes each year, but with seven percent interest that
would be collected when the home is eventually sold.
“I’m shocked this legislation passed. It’s been called predatory, a
reverse mortgage and government loan-sharking. Let’s just say there’s a
reason no other state has such a program – and that’s because it’s a bad
idea,” said Ericksen. “This pay a little now, pay a lot more later
approach is going to hurt people in the long-run. And let’s be clear,
it’s a tax increase – not a tax decrease.”
Ericksen supports alternative tax relief legislation that would have
provided a $400 rebate by year’s end to all Washingtonians who paid
property taxes on their primary residence in 2007. The bill was not
allowed to come to the House floor for a vote.
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For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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