Brad Shannon:
The Politics Blog

Brad Shannon maintains this blog. He is political editor at The Olympian and can be reached at 360-753-1688 or bshannon@theolympian.com.

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Washington ranks No. 26 among states for tax load

• Published October 22, 2009

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So we don't have a top-25 college football team, and we're not in the top rankings for tax burdens either.

Perhaps I, ahem, misread Tim Eyman's campaign gospel about the taxes in Washington state.

Here's part of what the Washington state Department of Revenue put out today, saying we're No. 26 for total tax state and local tax burden, and No. 32 for property tax:

Olympia, Wash., Oct. 22, 2009 � Washington ranks 26th highest nationally in state and local taxes as a percentage of personal income, and 32nd highest in property taxes, according to newly released federal data covering Fiscal Year 2007. Washingtonians paid $109.35 in state and local taxes per $1,000 of personal income, compared to a national average of $113.32. Of that, $29.25 went to property taxes, compared to a national average of $34.04. Washington ranked 15th in state and local taxes per capita at $4,269, $35 more than the national average of $4,234. Washington ranked 27th per capita in property taxes at $1,143, $129 less than the national average of $1,272.

Revenue reported in September that property taxes went up 5.4 percent in 2009.

Eyman's latest measure, Initiative 1033, would cap growth of revenues for state, city and county governments, putting any excess above the cap into property tax relief. Eyman was skeptical of the latest numbers:

"Did you say (Gov.) Gregoire�s Department of Revenue just put out some numbers?" he said. "I think all the people who think they are under-taxed should go ahead and vote against our initiative."