Help me stop Democrats from Radically Raising Property Taxes – I ask you to send an email to all 147 legislators – I make it super easy.

Wed, Jan 29, 2025

To: Our thousands of supporters throughout the state
(cc’d to the media, house & senate members, and Governor, and other candidates for office)

From: Tim Eyman
Fighting for taxpayers for 28 years

This session, the Democrats are pushing bills to allow state and local governments to RADICALLY RAISE PROPERTY TAXES — EVERY YEAR — without a vote of the people.

Democrats talk a lot about affordable housing but here they are making housing less affordable.

Some background: In the 1990s, each government could increase property taxes up to 6% a year. State government raised property taxes 6 percent annually, so did counties, cities, ports, and fire and library districts. All those 6% increases compounded year after year, and property taxes skyrocketed.

And taxpayers suffered.

So we sponsored Initiative 747 in 2001, which limited each government’s regular property-tax levy to 1% a year — the only way to increase it more was by asking voters’ permission.

And even though we were radically outspent by a well-organized opposition, voters in 37 of 39 counties approved the initiative with a whopping 58% yes vote.

It was a huge victory for taxpayers.

Weirdly, 6 years later in a goofy 5-4 ruling, the state Supreme Court said voters were “misled” into voting for the initiative and struck it down.

But right after that, Democrat Governor Chris Gregoire called a special session and one month later the Democrat-dominated Legislature reinstated the 1% limit. A look back shows that 91% of House members (86-8) and 81% of state senators (39-9) voted yes.

And our Democrat governor signed it into law.

“I’ve heard loud and clear from folks whose income has remained the same while the value of their home has skyrocketed. So even with the 1%, they fear they’re going to be taxed out of their home. We will make it so you can own your own home and stay in your own home and not be taxed out of your home. With that, I will sign the bill.”

I highlight this history because there’s a full-court press in Olympia to overturn this important protection this session.

There’s House Bill 1334 and a not-yet-filed Senate Bill that takes away the cap on property tax increases.

If they do this, state government and every local government will increase property taxes EVERY YEAR EVEN MORE than they already do.

First off, all the arguments now being made against the 1% cap were made during the 2001 campaign, and voters rejected those arguments and approved the initiative by a huge margin.

And those same arguments were made again during the 2007 special session and the Democrat-controlled House, Senate and governor’s office rejected them and reinstated the protection by an even wider margin.

It’s important to know that governments get property taxes from multiple sources. Every year, they get property tax revenue from new construction, improvements, annexations, real estate excise taxes, property valuation increases and voter-approved levies. When added together, property taxes to government consistently rise faster than inflation.

But even that isn’t the whole story.

Governments get revenue not just from property taxes, but from many other taxes and fees as well. The fact is governments are taking plenty of money away from the taxpayers.

And if they want more, all they have to do is ask the voters’ permission.

Democrats want to go back to the “good old days” when state and local governments could jack up property taxes as much as they wanted without voter approval. That would be horrible for taxpayers.

The 1% limit has protected taxpayers for 23 years. It continues to have broad public support. Olympia shouldn’t take it away.

 

I urge you to email all 147 legislators.

Send 2 separate emails: one to the Senate and one to the House.

I make it super easy.

For the SENATORS, copy & paste into the “To:” line:

emily.alvarado@leg.wa.gov; jessica.bateman@leg.wa.gov; matt.boehnke@leg.wa.gov; john.braun@leg.wa.gov; mike.chapman@leg.wa.gov; annette.cleveland@leg.wa.gov; leonard.christian@leg.wa.gov; steve.conway@leg.wa.gov; adrian.cortes@leg.wa.gov; manka.dhingra@leg.wa.gov; perry.dozier@leg.wa.gov; phil.fortunato@leg.wa.gov; noel.frame@leg.wa.gov; chris.gildon@leg.wa.gov; keith.goehner@leg.wa.gov; drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov; bob.hasegawa@leg.wa.gov; paul.harris@leg.wa.gov; jeff.holy@leg.wa.gov; claudia.kauffman@leg.wa.gov; curtis.king@leg.wa.gov; deborah.krishnadasan@leg.wa.gov; marko.liias@leg.wa.gov; liz.lovelett@leg.wa.gov; john.lovick@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; jim.mccune@leg.wa.gov; ron.muzzall@leg.wa.gov; twina.nobles@leg.wa.gov; tina.orwall@leg.wa.gov; jamie.pedersen@leg.wa.gov; bill.ramos@leg.wa.gov; marcus.riccelli@leg.wa.gov; june.robinson@leg.wa.gov; rebecca.saldana@leg.wa.gov; jesse.salomon@leg.wa.gov; mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov; sharon.shewmake@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov; vandana.slatter@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; nikki.torres@leg.wa.gov; yasmin.trudeau@leg.wa.gov; javier.valdez@leg.wa.gov; keith.wagoner@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; lisa.wellman@leg.wa.gov; claire.wilson@leg.wa.gov; jeff.wilson@leg.wa.gov; ltgov@ltgov.wa.gov; Tim@TimDefense.com

Copy & paste into the Subject line:

Don’t hurt working families and senior citizens by taking away the 1% property tax cap. OPPOSE House Bill 1334 and any bills like it.

Copy & paste this (or something like this) into the body of the email (tell ’em how you feel):

Don’t hurt working families and senior citizens by taking away the 1% property tax cap. Even with the cap, property taxes are still a huge burden. Taking it away will make property taxes skyrocket even more. And if governments want more money, this law simply requires them to ask the voters’ permission. The people overwhelmingly passed this protection and legislators and Gov. Gregoire overwhelmingly passed it too. For 23 years, taxpayers have counted on this protection. Don’t take it away. OPPOSE HB 1334 and any bills like it.

— END —

For the HOUSE, copy and paste into the “To:” line:

peter.abbarno@leg.wa.gov; hunter.abell@leg.wa.gov; andrew.barkis@leg.wa.gov; stephanie.barnard@leg.wa.gov; april.berg@leg.wa.gov; steve.bergquist@leg.wa.gov; adam.bernbaum@leg.wa.gov; liz.berry@leg.wa.gov; dan.bronoske@leg.wa.gov; brian.burnett@leg.wa.gov; michelle.caldier@leg.wa.gov; lisa.callan@leg.wa.gov; rob.chase@leg.wa.gov; april.connors@leg.wa.gov; chris.corry@leg.wa.gov; julio.cortes@leg.wa.gov; travis.couture@leg.wa.gov; lauren.davis@leg.wa.gov; tom.dent@leg.wa.gov; beth.doglio@leg.wa.gov; brandy.donaghy@leg.wa.gov; davina.duerr@leg.wa.gov; jeremie.dufault@leg.wa.gov; mary.dye@leg.wa.gov; andrew.engell@leg.wa.gov; debra.entenman@leg.wa.gov; carolyn.eslick@leg.wa.gov; darya.farivar@leg.wa.gov; jake.fey@leg.wa.gov; joe.fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov; mary.fosse@leg.wa.gov; roger.goodman@leg.wa.gov; jenny.graham@leg.wa.gov; mia.gregerson@leg.wa.gov; dan.griffey@leg.wa.gov; david.hackney@leg.wa.gov; natasha.hill@leg.wa.gov; victoria.hunt@leg.wa.gov; cyndy.jacobsen@leg.wa.gov; laurie.jinkins@leg.wa.gov; michael.keaton@leg.wa.gov; mark.klicker@leg.wa.gov; shelley.kloba@leg.wa.gov; mari.leavitt@leg.wa.gov; debra.lekanoff@leg.wa.gov; john.ley@leg.wa.gov; sam.low@leg.wa.gov; nicole.macri@leg.wa.gov; deb.manjarrez@leg.wa.gov; matt.marshall@leg.wa.gov; stephanie.mcclintock@leg.wa.gov; joel.mcentire@leg.wa.gov; sharlett.mena@leg.wa.gov; gloria.mendoza@leg.wa.gov; melanie.morgan@leg.wa.gov; greg.nance@leg.wa.gov; edwin.obras@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov; lillian.ortiz-self@leg.wa.gov; lisa.parshley@leg.wa.gov; dave.paul@leg.wa.gov; joshua.penner@leg.wa.gov; strom.peterson@leg.wa.gov; gerry.pollet@leg.wa.gov; alex.ramel@leg.wa.gov; julia.reed@leg.wa.gov; kristine.reeves@leg.wa.gov; adison.richards@leg.wa.gov; skyler.rude@leg.wa.gov; alicia.rule@leg.wa.gov; cindy.ryu@leg.wa.gov; osman.salahuddin@leg.wa.gov; sharontomiko.santos@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; suzanne.schmidt@leg.wa.gov; shaun.scott@leg.wa.gov; tana.senn@leg.wa.gov; clyde.shavers@leg.wa.gov; tarra.simmons@leg.wa.gov; larry.springer@leg.wa.gov; chris.stearns@leg.wa.gov; mike.steele@leg.wa.gov; drew.stokesbary@leg.wa.gov; monica.stonier@leg.wa.gov; chipalo.street@leg.wa.gov; david.stuebe@leg.wa.gov; jamila.taylor@leg.wa.gov; my-linh.thai@leg.wa.gov; steve.tharinger@leg.wa.gov; brianna.thomas@leg.wa.gov; joe.timmons@leg.wa.gov; mike.volz@leg.wa.gov; amy.walen@leg.wa.gov; jim.walsh@leg.wa.gov; kevin.waters@leg.wa.gov; sharon.wylie@leg.wa.gov; alex.ybarra@leg.wa.gov; janice.zahn@leg.wa.gov; Tim@TimDefense.com

Use the same wording for the Subject line and email above.

SEND YOUR 2 EMAILS RIGHT AWAY (if you have problems, let me know, I’ll help).

For 28 years, I’ve been fighting for the people of our state and our nation.

Is it any wonder Bully Bob Ferguson is trying so hard to impose a lifetime ban on all my future political activity? 

I urge you to help me survive this political persecution by donating to the Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund so we can get the AG’s ridiculously unconstitutional ruling overturned.

Mail your check to: 
Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund
17404 Meridian Ave E #F PMB 176
Puyallup, WA, 98375

Or donate online:
By GiveSendGo (credit/debit card)
By Paypal (donate using PayPal or using a credit/debit card)

The only reason I’m still here and I’m still fighting is because of the prayers, love, and support of wonderful friends like you who’ve seen this gross injustice and abuse of power and are willing to help.

I love you all.

Onward!

Tim 

You can call or text me anytime: 509-991-5295

You can email me anytime: Tim@TimDefense.com

For more details, go to: TimDefense.com