For the hiker, camper, and photo bug, there are three National Parks within two hours of Seattle. Mt. Rainier rises to more than 14,000 feet and offers a constantly changing picture. Ocean beaches are only two and a half hours away. Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, with a decidedly English flavor, lie only a short distance to the north. There is currently no state income tax.
Most revenue is derived from a state sales tax on virtually everything except food.
Property taxes run about 1 to 1.5 percent of the assessed evaluation. Other ways to pay taxes include the State lottery and Emerald Downs race track. The Seattle-Tacoma Airport serves nine major U.S. Airlines, plus foreign and smaller regional airlines. It boasts an underground rapid transit system that can move 1,200 passengers to their respective airline terminals in five minutes. There is parking for nearly 15,000 cars.