On property tax

greenspun.com : LUSENET : I-695 Thirty Dollar License Tab Initiative : One Thread

Since it was the will of the people to pass I-695, and I-695 repealed the property tax exemption for motor vehicles (thereby expanding the tax base by a vote of the people), will Mr. Eyman file suit against his own initiative if state and local government tax cars as personal property (as required by law)?

-- Curious George (---@---.---), November 03, 1999

Answers

This whole "personal property tax" issues has been tossed aroud by the ANTI crown from the beginning. In a nutshell, unless we vote on reinstating the tax, it will never come to pass. That's what I-695 was all about!

-- just a guy (torijosh@yahoo.com), November 03, 1999.

Actually, the real answer is "We don't know." If you read the full text of the voters pamphlet (please tell me that you did before voting!) the Secretary of State analysis says:

"Whether the repeal of these exemptions would subject motor vehicles to assessment and collection of personal property tax would depend on how the law would be interpreted."

So there you have it. I find it incredibly amusing that people on both sides scream that they have the answer. No. At best I've seen a few people who understand some of the property tax law complexities -- and there are many.

And George, cute idea.

-Jonathan

-- Jonathan (hepcat@oz.net), November 03, 1999.


Jonathan writes:

"...If you read the full text of the voters pamphlet..."

Um... No, I'm afraid that I did not.

I will admit that I did, however, read (and re-read) the full text of the initiative a number of times. I will also admit to having worked as a personal property auditor for one of the counties and to having worked for the Property Tax Division of the Department of Revenue as an appraiser for more years than I care to remember.

-- C. George (---@---.---), November 03, 1999.


just a guy:

I assume you DID vote to repeal the exemption. You did vote for 695 didn't you? Nothing in the initiative requires a second vote to confirm what the initiative did. The Department of Revenue has already issued a memo interpreting this, back on September 20. Expect that to be challenged, but unless it is overruled the county auditors are supposed to make it happen.

-- dbvz (dbvz@wa.freei.net), November 03, 1999.


d-

But the Guv has said it won't happen. He'll introduce legislation to outlaw it if necessary.

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), November 03, 1999.



Again. The constitution requires all property, real or personal to be taxed every year, unless exempted by general legislation. No exemption = taxation. The Governor knows it. Expanding the legal definition of an existing tax (repeal of the vehicle exemption) is one of the things I-695 says is an increase the voters must approve, but we just approved it.

So come the millenium cars are taxable, unless the legislature restores the exemption we just voted to repeal. They can, but it takes 2/3 of both houses, since we repealed the exemption by Initiative.

I'm sure the Governor will ask the Legislature to exempt vehicles, I'm just not sure they can agree on anything with a 2/3 vote of both houses. It is possible they will exempt vehicles, because even though you will have the hassle of filling out personal property tax affidavits and paying property tax on vehicles, I-695 will require that existing property taxes be cut enough to offset any revenue collected from increased tax on cars. You will have to pay a personal property tax, but the total dollars to each government will be the same as last year's total, so all the expense of taxing cars will be a waste.

Sound easy enough to get the Legislature to agree to exempt vehicles? Maybe, but don't count on the required supermajority. If not, the best they will be able to do with a simple majority is leave the tax amounts alone, but change collection on cars from every county assessor to the State Department of Licensing or Department of Revenue, as a condition of getting tabs. But why would they do that if they can export the cost to counties simply by not agreeing?

-- Bob Dick (bdick@harbornet.com), November 04, 1999.


Bob-

You've been whining about this since day one. You lost. Get over it. Also, anyone who believes they can tinker with the 601 limits and survive politically is also wrong. Get over that, too.

-- Mark Stilson (mark842@hotmail.com), November 04, 1999.


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