CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION _________________
title
A RESOLUTION requesting that the Office of Intergovernmental Relations seek a change in the State of Washington laws in order to expand eligibility for the existing low-income property tax exemption.
body
WHEREAS, the Institute on Taxation Economic Policy's 2015 "Who Pays?" report concluded that Washington State has the most regressive taxes of any state in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle wishes to collect property taxes in a more equitable manner; and
WHEREAS, on November 8, 1966, voters approved legislatively-referred Constitutional Amendment 47 and thereby authorized the Legislature to exempt occupied residential property from property taxes for certain retired persons; and
WHEREAS, in 1967 the State of Washington granted a property tax exemption to low-income seniors and certain low-income disabled individuals in RCW 84.36.379; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle adopted its 2015 State Legislative Agenda through Resolution 31557; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:
Section 1. The City of Seattle (City) amends its 2015 State Legislative Agenda, set forth in Resolution 31557, to support expanding the existing residential property tax exemption. Current law restricts eligibility to those owner-occupants of real property who (a) are senior citizens or disabled and (b) have less than $35,000 in household income. The City supports changes that would expand eligibility to include all owner-occupant households with incomes up to 80 percent of Area Median Income.
Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of ____________________, 2015, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this________ day
of ______________________, 2015.
_________________________________
President ___________of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the _____ day of _______________________, 2015.
...
Click here for full text