Washington Democrats want to hike your property taxes—now they’re tying it to inflation

Because making housing even more expensive wasn’t enough—they want automatic tax hikes forever.

Washington Democrats aren’t giving up on their plan to gut the 1% property tax cap. Instead of passing a straightforward tax increase, they’re trying to sneak it in through House Bill 1334 (HB 1334), a bill that would tie your property taxes to inflation and population growth—ensuring they go up every single year, permanently.

They’re also pushing additional tax hikes through multiple new bills, including one that would reduce the state school property tax levy (HB 1729) while simultaneously allowing counties to impose new surcharges and levies (HB 1397, HB 1042).

The result? More taxes. More government spending. Less affordability.

HB 1334: The end of the 1% property tax cap

For over 20 years, Washington’s 1% property tax cap (passed by voters in Initiative 747) has protected homeowners, renters, and businesses from runaway tax hikes.

🔹 If local governments want to raise taxes beyond 1%, they have to ask voters first.
🔹 That means YOU get a say in how much they take.
🔹 It forces local governments to live within their means—just like Washington families have to do every day.

But with HB 1334, all of that changes.

What HB 1334 does:

🚨 Replaces the 1% cap with an automatic tax increase up to 3% per year.
🚨 Ties property tax hikes to inflation and population growth—meaning your taxes will rise indefinitely, every single year.
🚨 Local governments get to take more of your money—without asking for your vote.

It’s a permanent, built-in tax hike that will cost Washington homeowners billions in the coming years.

How much will this cost you?

Democrats claim you won’t even notice the tax hike—but here’s what’s actually going to happen:

🔺 Under the 1% cap, property taxes double in 72 years.
🔺 Under HB 1334’s automatic increase, property taxes double in just 24 years.

That’s an extra $12 BILLION in property taxes over the next decade, according to state fiscal estimates.

And let’s be clear: this isn’t coming from corporations—it’s coming from YOU.

🔹 Homeowners will see their tax bills jump significantly every year.
🔹 Renters will see landlords pass these costs onto them in higher rent.
🔹 Small businesses will face even higher costs, forcing them to raise prices or cut jobs.

Other property tax hikes & “relief” bills that aren’t what they seem

HB 1729 – “lowering” the state school property tax levy

Washington Democrats want you to believe they’re cutting property taxes, but here’s the reality:

HB 1729 reduces the state school property tax levies, but—surprise!—at the same time, they’re giving local governments new tools to replace that money with even more local taxes and fees.

This bill lowers what the state takes, but it opens the door for counties and cities to increase what they take from you instead.

So will your taxes actually go down? Not likely.

HB 1397 – local “veterans assistance” tax (that’s actually just a local tax increase)

This bill allows counties to impose a new local property tax specifically for veterans and mental health services—sounds nice, right?

🔺 The catch? This isn’t replacing an existing tax—it’s an entirely new one.
🔺 That means your local tax burden will go up unless the state offsets it (which it probably won’t).

This is yet another tax grab disguised as “helping people.”

HB 1042 – New “administrative fees” on property tax bills

You know how Washington already collects billions in property taxes? Well, apparently, that’s not enough to cover their administrative costs.

🔹 HB 1042 allows county treasurers to impose new fees on every property tax bill to fund tax collection operations.
🔹 That’s right—you now get to pay an extra fee just for the privilege of paying taxes.

It might sound small (a 1-2% fee), but those costs add up, especially with HB 1334 forcing your taxes to increase every year.

The “just trust us” argument from Democrats

Supporters of HB 1334 and these other tax hikes claim that local governments need more money for essential services like police, fire, and roads. But here’s what they won’t tell you:

💰 Washington’s budget has already exploded by $27 billion in the last five years, reaching a record $71 billion—yet they still can’t balance it.
💰 Local governments already have more tax revenue than ever, thanks to skyrocketing property values and record-high sales tax collections.
💰 They can still raise taxes—with your approval. Cities can already ask voters to lift the cap for special projects, and many do!

So why do they want permanent tax hikes without voter input?

Because they know you’d vote NO.

How this will make housing even more expensive

Washington already has some of the highest housing costs in the country. Thanks to these new policies:

🚨 Property taxes will automatically increase every year—forever.
🚨 Housing prices will rise even faster, making it harder for first-time buyers to afford a home.
🚨 Renters will be hit with even higher costs as landlords pass the tax hikes onto tenants.

This isn’t just a bad idea—it’s a massive assault on housing affordability in a state that already has one of the worst housing crises in the nation.

And here’s the worst part:

They DON’T have to ask for your vote anymore.

They can raise taxes on your home every single year without giving you a say.

Voters said “NO” – But Democrats won’t listen

Washington voters already rejected massive property tax hikes when they passed Initiative 747 in 2001.

But Democrats in Olympia don’t care.

SB 5770, their last attempt to gut the cap, collapsed under massive public opposition. So what did they do?

🔹 They repackaged the tax hike in HB 1334.
🔹 They tied it to inflation and population growth so they can say “it’s not really a tax increase.”
🔹 They made it automatic so they never have to ask voters again.

It’s the same tax increase—just sneakier.

And if they get their way?

Your tax bill will never stop growing.

What can you do?

If you’re sick of Olympia constantly digging deeper into your pockets, it’s time to fight back:

✅ Call Your Legislators – Tell them NO to HB 1334 and automatic tax hikes.
✅ Watch for Sneaky Tax Hike Proposals – They’ll try again next session. Be ready.
✅ Stay Informed – Subscribe to The Steelhead Alliance so you don’t wake up one day with double the property tax bill.

Washington Democrats are coming for your home, your rent, and your business.

Are you going to let them?