The King County Assessor’s Office has a cool new “Taxpayer Transparency Tool” that shows you the estimated cost of any proposed property tax measures on the ballot, based on your property’s current assessed value. It also shows you exactly how much of your taxes go to things such as Emergency Medical Services, schools, Sound Transit, Port of Seattle, etc.
Seattle is proposing a renewal of the Families and Education Levy, but at a higher amount than the current expiring levy, so this tool helps you determine how much extra you’ll pay.
The Transparency Tool only shows the impact of property tax measures, not any other measures such as sales tax increases or benefit charges.
Speaking of property tax bills, the Assessor’s Office notes:
King County taxpayers have seen significant increases in their taxes this year. There are two primary reasons for this increase:
1. In recent years, voters have approved ballot measures that will fund vital services through property tax levies.
2. Last year state lawmakers voted to dramatically raise the state share of the property tax in order generate more school funding to satisfy the Supreme Court order in the McCleary case. In 2019, local school levies will be reduced, offsetting part of that increase. But in 2018, taxpayers will pay both their current school levy, and the new, increased state property tax. That led to a big spike in the property tax bill in 2018.
