Taxes
Back to News Center Seattle King County REALTORS® has been engaged in the Seattle budget process to ensure the record general fund budget deficits of $251 million in 2025 and $498 million in 2026 were not closed by levying new taxes. We commented formally and advocated to encourage transparency and…
Read MoreBack to News Center Effective January 1, 2025, the city of Black Diamond lifted its moratorium on new retail cannabis establishments. The moratorium had been in place since 2013. The effort to lift the ban began in January of last year in response to a proposal by city council member…
Read MoreBack to News Center On election night in November, the Kent School District’s ballot proposition was losing with just 49.11% of the vote. Because it was a levy, and not a bond, 50% approval is required for passage. When all the votes were tallied, it passed with 50.77%. Citizens for…
Read MoreBack to News Center On November 27, the SeaTac City Council voted unanimously to pass an ordinance with no increase in the city’s 2025 property tax levy. Additionally, the city chose not to take advantage of the opportunity to increase property taxes based on its “banked capacity” to do so.…
Read MoreBack to News Center Seattle King County REALTORS® has been assisting REALTOR® members in Kittitas County in efforts to better understand the passage of a second 0.25% real estate excise tax (REET) without a vote of the people, and to evaluate the prospects for a levy lid lift to pay…
Read MoreBack to News Center The Kent School District’s 2023 bond measure failed to pass, so the school board unanimously approved a resolution to seek voter approval of a levy on April 23, 2024, to fund a portion of the projects that were part of the bond measure, and which were…
Read MoreBack to News Center Voters in the City of Maple Valley have approved a “Levy Lid Lift” to increase property taxes to pay for police services. The November ballot measure, which was approved by 66% of voters, restricts the use of $2.2 million in additional funding for police services only.…
Read MoreBack to News Center The outgoing Seattle City Council did not go quietly. They considered several new or increased taxes as part of the 2023 budget process. SKCR urged the council to evaluate current spending, use all available revenues, prioritize spending, and generate economic activity before considering any new revenues.…
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