Visit https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1670 and follow super simple prompts and tell Sen. Jeff Wilson and state Reps. Joel McEntire and Jim Walsh you’re not OK with uncontrolled property tax increases.
Lots of cities and towns get along just fine with the 101 cap as it stands. Winlock is a great example, where, per the mayor, Winlock does not take advantage of the law and charges taxpayers 1% more over the preceding year.
Increasing the cap will just make it more expensive for taxpayers already under property tax duress. Here’s how lopsided fire charges already are in Lewis County:
• A 1,456-square-foot double-wide, $365 to Lewis County Fire District 15 and EMS $128.71
• A 5,500-square-foot two-story commercial building in Winlock, LCFD15 fire charge is $73.45 plus EMS $25.90
With the 101 cap as it stands, LCFD15 added $143,689.34 and EMS $50,195.18 to its operating budget from the new Winlock industrial park. This doesn’t include all the additional new residential construction LCFD15 has also added to its budget.
If fire districts need more money, they should assess a minimum fire service charge or fire benefit charge on commercial buildings.
Eric Bernard,
Winlock
