Taxes and Tax Relief

February 07, 2024

Wagoner: Property-tax hike most destructive bill this session

Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley and a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement today on Senate Democrats’ plan to vote on Senate Bill 5770, which would allow local property taxes to annually grow up at triple the rate now allowed by law. “The proposed increase...
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January 23, 2024

Wagoner: No need to raise property taxes and rents; there is a better way to get needed funds to local governments

Legislative Democrats recently held a hearing on Senate Bill 5770, which would triple the allowable growth rate of property taxes and almost certainly drive record-high rents up even more. While proponents point to the tax proposal as a way to get much-needed funds to local governments, Sen. Keith Wagoner has...
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October 19, 2023

VIDEO: Inside Olympia – Examining Washington’s Tax System

TVW Inside Olympia Host Austin Jenkins asks Sen. Keith Wagoner, a co-chair of the bipartisan Tax Structure Work Group, to share his thoughts on the group’s work and Washington’s tax structure. Click here to watch now.
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March 07, 2023

Senate approves Wagoner bill to save property taxpayers from late-payment fees

Today the Senate unanimously approved legislation from Sen. Keith Wagoner aimed at saving taxpayers money by helping to eliminate erroneous late fees that result from automatic payments. “It is possible that two taxpayers in the same county, mailing their tax payments in at the same time, on the same day,...
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January 24, 2023

Bipartisan tax reform proposal to replace the B&O tax gets a hearing

On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Senate Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade Committee will hold a hearing on SB 5482, a bipartisan bill to reform Washington state’s business tax system recommended by the state Tax Structure Work Group. The bill, sponsored by work group co-chairs Sen. Noel Frame (D-Seattle) and Sen....
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March 15, 2022

Legislative video update

I invite you to watch my latest legislative video! In this short video, I share information regarding major issues the legislature did and didn’t address during the 2022 session. 
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February 25, 2022

Legislative video update

I invite you to watch my latest legislative video! In this short video, I share information regarding this year’s supplemental operating budget and possible improvements to the police reform bills passed last year. 
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January 15, 2022

2022 Legislative session priorities: return balance in Olympia, restore public safety

Dear Neighbor, As we begin a new legislative session, I wanted to thank you for the honor of representing our district in the Washington State Senate. This has continued to be an extremely difficult year for all of us and I am honored to be your voice in Olympia to...
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October 01, 2021

Alert! Long-term care payroll tax exemption now available

Dear Neighbor, Some of you may remember receiving a newsletter from me earlier this summer regarding the newly formed WA CARES Fund and the payroll tax that comes with it. For more information on this new program, I invite you to read my previous newsletter here. As a follow-up, I want...
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