HomeMy WebLinkAboutres1991-081.!TCOM COUNTY COUNC. AGENDA BILL
NO. 91 -351
CLEARANCES
Initial
Date
Date Received in Council Office:
Agenda Date
Assigned To:
Originator-
10/8/91
COTW (w/WSAC, WACO)
Division Head-
10/22/91
Council
Department Head -
Prosecutor Review
PurchasingMudget Dir:
Executive-
SUBJECT-
Initiative 559: "Shall property value for tax purposes be the January 1, 1985 value or subsequent sales
price, adjusted for cost of living changes ?"
ATTACHED OR ON FILE:
- Various documents explaining the pros and cons of Initiative 559; correspondence
- Guidelines for local officials' participation (in endorsing /opposing initiatives)
Public Hearing Needed? Yes / _/N%/
SUMMARY STATEMENT: If Initiative 559 is put into law by the voters on Nov. 5, it declares that a
different method will be used to determine the value of real property for tax purposes beginning with taxes
to be collected in 1992. The new determination of assessed value would begin with the 1985 assessed
value of the particular property, or the selling price, if sold after January 1 1985. This value would be
adjusted to reflect subsequent additions or removals of property improvements. For taxes to be collected
in 1992 that property value would be further adjusted to reflect the percentage change in the cost of living
index between 1985, or the sale date if later, and 1991. Any increase in value based on the cost of living
adjustment could not exceed four percent a year nor could it result in a value exceeding the present true
and fair value of a particular property. In subsequent years the assessed property value for tax purposes
would be annually adjusted by the formula or if the property is sold then the sale price would become the
new assessed value (excerpted from the draft Washington Voter Pamphlet).
See information on file and minutes of the meetings indicated above for more detail.
ORIGINATOR'S RECOMMENDED ACTION.•
COMMITTEE ACTION ('including dates):
10/8: Washington State Association of Counties and Washington Association of County Officials
representatives discussed the Initiative with Council members and other elected officials.
COUNCIL ACTION ('including dates):
10/22: Council approved with
Jackson & Vander Yacht
Related File Numbers.
an amendment on line 15: adding "may"
abstained
Ordinance or Resolution Number. Qq 1-(X I
Q \PAM \MM59.RES
SPONSORED BY: Laidlaw
PROPOSED BY: Laidlaw
INTRODUCTION DATE: 10.122/91
1 RESOLUTION NO. 91 -081
2 OPPOSING INTI'IATIVE 559, RELATING TO PROPERTY TAXES
3 WHEREAS, Initiative 559, which will appear on the November 1991 Statewide
4 ballot, attempts to provide tax relief by altering property assessment, rather then actual tax;
5 and,
6 WHEREAS Initiative 559 will redistribute property tax unequally rather than reduce
7 taxes equally and discriminates against first time buyers and existing property owners who
8 move to a new home by taxing their property at a higher rate; and,
9 WHEREAS Initiative 559 will cause identical properties to be taxed differently and
10 will negatively affect school, fire, and cemetery districts, which are already underfunded;
11 and,
12 WHEREAS Initiative 559 will cost the people of Whatcom County millions of new
1.3 tax dollars to implement the proposed system without the promised tax relief.
14 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council joins
15 the Bellingham School Board and others in opposing Initiative 559 because it may violate
16 constitutional provisions that all property taxes shall be equ uniform,
, and based on the
17 value of property.
18 APPROVED this 22nd day of October , 1991.
19 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
20 ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
21
22 Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk Daniel M. Warner, Chairman
23 APPROVED AS TO FORM:
24
?5 Civil Deputy Pros. Atty.