Benton’s says special session failed to give homeowners a “true” 1 percent cap on property taxes
“Senior citizens denied property tax relief”

November 29, 2007

OLYMPIA…Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, said today that the I-747 bill approved in the special session is not a “true” 1 percent cap on property taxes. 

“Although this session is truly a victory for taxpayers, the I-747 bill from the governor is a sham,” Benton said. “If we don’t eliminate local governments’ ability to go back and collect unused taxing authority, how can we say we have enacted a true 1 percent cap?” 

Benton tried twice to rein in local governments’ access to banked capacity. First he tried to get the Senate to consider his bill to eliminate banked capacity; then he tried to amend the governor’s bill to require a vote of the people before banked capacity could be tapped. Both times he was shot down by the Democrat majority in the Senate. 

“$108 million is what's left over for taxing districts to use under the governor’s I-747 bill,” Benton said. “The ability of local governments to tax backwards to use up their old taxing authority is still in place. I think the homeowners have been double-crossed.”  

When Benton first started the drive for the special session, he fully intended that legislators would reinstate the I-747 cap and eliminate local governments’ banked capacity. 

“Both I-722 and I-747 were enacted by a strong statewide ‘yes’ vote,” Benton said. “I-722 capped tax collections at 2 percent and eliminated banked capacity.  I-747 lowered the cap to 1 percent. We only fixed half the problem” 

During the session, Benton also tried to help more seniors stay in their homes. He offered an amendment that would have allowed seniors to deduct the cost of long-term care insurance and durable medical equipment from their disposable income. This would have made more seniors eligible for property tax exemptions and deferrals. 

The Democrat majority challenged his amendment as out of order, effectively stopping further consideration. 

“It’s a real shame that the Senate missed an opportunity to provide real and immediate tax relief for senior citizens,” Benton said.

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Additional contact Penny Drost at (360) 786-7522
or penny.drost@leg.wa.gov