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Committee hears how state property levy, constitutional limits shape school funding
Summary
Staff told the committee the state property tax is forecast to raise about $9.3 billion this biennium, is dedicated to K‑12 education, and is bounded by Washington’s constitutional uniformity and a 1% cap on taxes per parcel; staff explained proration rules and the statutory hierarchy used to keep total property tax below the 1% limit.
Jeff Mitchell, committee staff, outlined the mechanics and constraints of Washington’s state property tax during the committee’s January 20 work session.
Mitchell said the state property tax is forecast to generate about $9.3 billion in the 2023–25 biennium and that the revenue is dedicated exclusively to K‑12 education, which is why it is sometimes called the state school levy. "For this year, the state property tax rate is approximately $2.31 per $1,000 of value," he said; he used a $500,000 assessed home as an example to show how the state portion translates into dollars.
Staff reviewed two constitutional constraints. First, the Washington…
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