Either way, he reasons, limiting the ability to raise taxes will mean everyone will pay less. Miller, the County Council president, said those fixed costs will eat up a greater share of the government's budget if the initiative passes. All Washington registered voters. Proponents say the increases were approved to avoid having to put them before voters as I-695 required. They say that represents bad faith and should be repealed.
Opponents say there was no bad faith.
Budgets are usually approved at the end of the year, and repealing the increases would throw government services into turmoil. The initiative would base all future property taxes at 1999 assessed property values. It can now go up by as much as 6 percent in any given year. Proponents say taxes are skyrocketing and need to be curbed. Opponents say it would shift the property tax burden from the rich to the poor, because capping increases at 2 percent would unfairly benefit people whose property is rising in value.