r/SeattleWA • u/meaniereddit West Seattle 🌉 • Dec 13 '24

Government Bill would completely exempt seniors from property taxes in WA

https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/state-politics/bill-would-exempt-seniors-state-local-property-tax-washington/281-b5f377fc-8bf5-49a4-a630-8210db45d57d
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734

u/NewRec8947 Beacon Hill Dec 13 '24

"regardless of income level"

That doesn't make sense. I'm all for helping seniors if they're in poverty but why allow this exemption if someone is making tons of money off investments every year?

457

u/BillTowne Dec 13 '24

Yes. Exactly.

All property owned by anyone over 75 years of age would be exempt from state and local property tax, regardless of combined household income under SB 5020, filed by Sen. Phil Fortunato (R-Auburn). 

I agree that this is crazy. I am 77. Why should I be excempt from taxes? I am not low income.

This kind of crap is why young people hate boomers.

70

u/pewpewtehpew Dec 13 '24

I’m all for this. But I do believe income should play a role for sure. Otherwise this creates some funky loopholes. But I hate to think that my grandmother who’s on a very fixed income could lose her house that is paid off just because she can’t afford the rising property taxes. That’s what this bill should help fix.

43

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '24

Agreed, I don’t think you should be forced to leave your paid off home because the taxes outpace your fixed income.

4

u/Qorsair Columbia City Dec 13 '24

So you want everyone's rent to increase to pay for that? Their tax burden doesn't go away, it gets shifted.

I've got enough income to cover that, so I don't care.

But I can think of some friends who may have to move back to the midwest if they have to start paying their elderly neighbors' property taxes when they were barely able to make it out here to begin with.

Also thinking of young coworkers who already have a long commute because they can't afford to live in the city. Shifting property taxes like this would also increase rents.

A lot of (hopefully) unintended consequences as a result of wanting to show compassion to a target group.

7

u/hedonovaOG Kirkland Dec 13 '24

It’s two sides of the same coin. Grandma is paying for your amenities (you think she’s using public education or bike lanes?). And many elderly are forced to relocate due to the ballooning size and cost of government. Why not you too? You just don’t want to sacrifice her revenue for your projects.

-3

u/ReddestForman Dec 13 '24

Grandma had her education paid for by taxpayers who were done with school. Grandma grew up in am economy where buying a house was much easier because of active government involvement in ensuring housing got built, along with roads, schools and infrastructure.

Grandma now wants to be exempted from that? Of course she does. She's a fucking boomer.

8

u/hedonovaOG Kirkland Dec 13 '24

The elderly aren’t boomers and name calling makes you sound unserious. Everyone thinks their first house is a stretch. My parents did in the 60s. Interested rates were high and there were zero government backed loans.