JLARC presents 2024 tax preference performance reviews to Ways & Means; recommends decisions on multiple credits and exemptions

Pete Van Mooresel, staff to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee, presented JLARC’s 2024 tax preference performance reviews to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Jan. 28, summarizing six reviews covering 29 tax preferences and offering recommendations the legislature may consider.

Van Mooresel said JLARC reviewed preferences directed by the legislature and scheduled by the Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences to ensure each preference is evaluated once every 10 years. "For each of these tax preference reviews, the legislative auditor is required to make a recommendation whether to continue, to terminate, modify or otherwise, adjust the tax preference," he told the committee.

Key findings and recommendations included:

- Alternative fuel vehicle preferences: JLARC estimated the package of eight preferences will save about $98 million in the current biennium, with the single largest preference (a partial sales and use tax exemption for qualified alternative fuel vehicles) accounting for approximately $53 million. The legislative auditor found alternative fuel vehicle counts in Washington rose roughly…