Republican senators, residents warn uncapped property-tax proposal would hit homeowners and renters

At a press conference on the Capitol Rotunda, Sen. John Braun, leader of the Senate Republican caucus, and other Republican senators urged defeat of a Democratic-backed proposal they said would eliminate the state's 1% cap on property-tax increases and instead tie increases to inflation and population growth.

"This outrageous property tax proposal" would, Braun said, replace the 1% limit voters approved in Initiative 747 with a variable formula and could produce much larger bills for homeowners: "going from 1% to an average of 4.5%...10 years from now, it's about $16,000,000,000 in additional property tax across our state," he said, adding that the fiscal note estimates about $1,000 per average home while Republicans believe a realistic impact could be closer to $2,000.

Why it matters: Republican senators and the residents who testified said the change would affect virtually every homeowner and renter in Washington, hitting lower-income households hardest and threatening to push some people from ownership into rental housing or homelessness. Sen. Nikki Torres highlighted public opposition, saying, "43,680 signed in con against this proposal." Several speakers described personal hardship tied to rising property taxes.

Speakers detailed specific effects. Marie Gove of Mesa County said the bill "will again put me and others like me on the brink of losing our houses," describing years of struggle to pay back taxes after caring for aging parents. Bill and Alice Wells, landlords from Mason County, said they manage low-cost rentals for people on social security and public assistance and warned that their properties could be wiped out financially if taxes rise and they are forced to raise rents or sell.

Sen. Keith Kean, the caucus's housing ranking member, framed the change as a threat to homeownership and housing stability, arguing that variable taxes complicate financing and could discourage builders. Sen. Chris Gildon, the caucus budget lead, said the state's budget can be balanced without the proposed taxes and said Republicans would press the issue publicly.

Real-estate professionals at the event echoed those concerns. Realtor Sue Wise said higher property taxes layered on current mortgage and insurance costs "will kill the housing industry" for some buyers. Builder and business owner Gina Carlson called the bill a "nonpartisan disaster" that would undermine the American dream, and broker James Fisher described clients on fixed incomes who might be forced to sell.

Media questions and procedural context: Reporters asked how the per-household numbers were calculated; Braun said the estimates use the bill's formula (average inflation plus population growth) and numbers included in the fiscal note and offered to share the specific calculations. On the legislative process, Braun criticized private conference negotiations and warned that conference committee outcomes limit amendment opportunities before an up-or-down vote. Asked whether the governor had taken a position, Braun said the governor had been willing to meet but had not publicly committed on the property-tax proposal.

The bill referenced during testimony was called in the transcript "Senate Bill 57 98"; speakers also cited past and related house bills and Initiative 747 (2001). No formal vote or legislative action occurred during the press conference; Republican leaders urged the public to contact legislators and said they would continue to oppose the proposal.

The press conference combined policy argument, personal testimony and political messaging; speakers repeatedly emphasized distributional concerns for seniors, renters and first-time buyers and urged public engagement ahead of legislative consideration.