I want to work on another initiative, how about property tax, end subsisdies or privatize the ferry system, make the first speeding ticket below 15MPH over the limit not go on your driving, i.e., insurance record and make the fine two dollars a mile?

CUT THE PORK, BABY

-- roy ruffino (nannoook@aol.com), November 08, 1999

Answers

I would like to get a initiative to reduce the property tax by 50 %

-- dave a (themidnightcaller@excite.com), November 08, 1999.

Elimination of the Real Estate Excise Tax. This is 1.65% "sales tax" on all real estate transactions and is paid by the seller. Last year WA collected over $350 million from this tax which was a 25%+ increase over the prior year. As best as I can tell, this money goes into the general fund and is not earmarked for specific projects.

Another suggestion, an initiative to FREEZE property tax rates AND assessed values at their current levels. Include specific language in the initiative preventing the pols from declaring some type of "emergency" to bypass the caps.

Finally, an initiative to eliminate ALL state funding, grants, tax breaks, etc... to any and all businesses not classified as non- profit". This would probably generate a billion a year in add'l revenue alone!

-- just a guy (torijosh@yahoo.com), November 08, 1999.

How about an initiative to change election day to the second Tuesday in April. What will be the focus of every campaign while all of us taxpayers are filling out our tax forms...higher taxes? I think not.

-- Rick Melanson (rmelanson@yahoo.com), November 08, 1999.

Just a Guy, I thought I695 did freeze property tax at it's current level. My understanding it can't be raised without a vote of the people.

-- Ken (klemay@amouse.net), November 08, 1999.

I think the next logical step, and perhaps the wisest, is to seriously consider the privatization of many of the government programs in Washington State that can be privatized. Because you KNOW there is going to be alot of dissent over this!! The powers that be are not going to take this sitting down. The answer to the complaints that are sure to follow is, PRIVATIZE.

-- Arlene Otto (otto_2000@hotmail.com), November 08, 1999.

Arlene-

That CAN happen only if we change the laws in the state that almost preclude anyone from legally contracting out these jobs.

-- Mark Stilson (mark842@hotmail.com), November 08, 1999.

Mark

looks like you just wrote an initiative in your post.

Ricardo

-- Ricardo (ricardoxxx@home.com), November 08, 1999.

Before you get too ambitious, remember that majority of the work is still ahead of us with I-695. It cut a budget funding source and restricts the governments ability to recover those funds. Each government and government agency is going to be re-evaluating their budgets.

Because of this, there are a lot of projects and services that could be cut, delayed or restructured. This required an immense amount of public support to get to a point that is acceptable to everyone. And this is not something that is up for a vote. If you have something constructive to offer, please contact your representatives. Get your friends to contact their representatives.

As for cutting the pork, it is easy to say, but finding it is something else. Getting it recognized as 'pork' by others is also difficult. Someone is benefiting and they may not consider it 'pork'. Getting the owner of that 'pork' to give it up is still another matter. Don't expect these owners to voluntarily step up. Generally, eliminating 'pork' takes time and money - money which will be in extremely short supply starting January 1.

I-695 has passed, but the majority of the work is still left to be done.

-- Gene (Gene@gene.com), November 08, 1999.

I do believe this initiative 695 DID include property tax.

Arlene

-- Arlene Otto (otto_2000@hotmail.com), November 08, 1999.

To Ken and others: The property tax RATE may be frozen and can not be raised without a vote. However, the way the pols get around this is the assessed valuation of your home. For example, my tax rate stayed the same this year, but the assessed value went up over 20%. So my property tax bill will be 20% higher without an increase in property taxes.

That's why a freeze is needed on both the tax rates AND the assessed values.

-- just a guy (torijosh@yahoo.com), November 09, 1999.

just a guy writes:

"For example, my tax rate stayed the same this year, but the assessed value went up over 20%. So my property tax bill will be 20% higher without an increase in property taxes."

The way the initiative was written, any monetary increase must also be approved by a vote of the people. The property tax would be effectively frozen at its current level. If the overall value of a jurisdiction goes up, then the rate must be reduced to maintain the same level of revenue.

-- Curious George (---@---.---), November 09, 1999.

Property Tax:

I won't re-post, but read my response in "How will Property tax be effected?" It is, but if your value goes up faster than the area, you tax will still increase.

The most common reason for this, is a propoerty that is sold, and is discovered to have been under valued for years. They don't go back to try to collect the amounty of the tax you have not been paying because the value was wrong, but from that point on you pay based on the value so that you pay your share just like your neighbors. Instead of complaining about the increase, you should be happy about the years it was valued less than the market value. For that period, you were not paying the proportianate share of the cost of the services you should have.

If you freeze the rate and the value, you get a constitutional issue that must be resolved. Prop 13 in California was a constitutional amendment, so it could do that. Unless the constitution is changed, the assessors are required to tax based on the market value; so that every property is valued the same way and the tax is distributed based on value.

-- dbvz (dbvz@wa.freei.net), November 10, 1999.

"Instead of complaining about the increase, you should be happy about the years it was valued less than the market value. For that period, you were not paying the proportianate share of the cost of the services you should have. " Conversely, you were also making your decisions on voting for the school levy, medic one, etc., based upon erroneous information as to what effect it would have on your property taxes. Maybe had you really known how much you would be liable for, you'd have voted the other way.

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), November 10, 1999.

The value is the value. If you don't know what your property is worth on the open market it may be useful to find out. If the assessor gets it wrong, you can dispute it.

-- dbvz (dbvz@wa.freei.net), November 11, 1999.

"The value is the value" The value is what someone will pay you for it. Sometimes that's real stupid (like some .com stocks) but the market sets the value, even when it's stupid.

-- Craig Carson (craigcar@crosswinds.net), November 11, 1999.