Tell the Legislature To Enact Real Property Tax Reform, Not I-747

The following is an e-mail message from the Washington Tax Fairness Coalition urging that you contact the Legislature to urge them to pass real tax reform, not I-747. It states the case well. Please read it and respond.

The State Supreme Court recently ruled that Initiative 747 (the 1% cap on general property tax levies) is unconstitutional.
The Governor has called a special session this week to pass a bill reinstating the provisions of Initiative 747. Good policy is seldom – if ever – made in a big hurry. Someone needs to remind our elected officials of that!
Please take a minute to email your representatives and the Governor to tell them, “don’t be hasty!” The property tax system is complicated. Rushing to re-establish a deeply flawed policy is not the answer.
Click here to send your email now:
http://capwiz.com/wataxfairness/issues/alert/?alertid=10536761
If our elected representatives feel that they absolutely must reinstate a 1% cap — they should do so only on a temporary basis. This would give the Legislature time to hold public hearings that never happened as part of the initiative process and to study the impact of I-747. The state has never done an analysis of its effects.
Most importantly, it would create the space needed for the Governor and Legislature to propose, debate and enact REAL property tax reform — something that makes the system fairer and generates enough revenue to fund vital local services like fire, EMS, libraries and more.
We need to remind Olympia that we’ve lived under the provisions of I-747 for five years, and it has done nothing to target assistance to lower and moderate income homeowners, who pay the highest percentage of household income in property taxes. It has, however, systematically under-funded vital services we all rely on and benefit from.
We’ve drafted a sample message that you can edit or send as is – either way a minute of your time will help restore some perspective on an important issue.
Click here to send your email now:
http://capwiz.com/wataxfairness/issues/alert/?alertid=10536761
There are better options: A circuit-breaker would target assistance to lower income homeowners and renters. A homestead exemption is certainly another viable option. Combining one of these creative solutions with a cap that allows for a reasonable inflation adjustment would constitute real reform.

If you can make it to Olympia to testify please do so. The House Finance Committee Hearing is at 8:15 AM Thursday November 29, 2007 in the John L O’Brien Building, House Hearing Rm B. The Senate has a hearing scheduled for 10:45 AM in the Cherberg Building Senate Hearing Room 4.