Richland City Council’s Tuesday night agenda includes higher taxes and more traffic surveillance. The council will review Richland’s 2025 legislative priorities as well as a Washington Association of Cities (AWC) proposal to raise the 1% cap on property taxes to 3%. In addition, the installation of new traffic surveillance technology is slated for approval.
Property tax cap
Revising the state property tax cap to tie it to inflation up to 3% is at the top of the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) wish list for the 2025 session of the Washington State Legislature. The cap is currently 1%. Richland is an AWC member.
According to the AWC, the change will help local elected officials “adjust the local property tax rate to better serve their communities.”
Richland’s legislative priorities include assistance for the Northwest Advanced Clean Energy Park, improvements in the public safety communications system and the yearly ask for funding for SR-240/Aaron Drive improvements.
While Richland’s list doesn’t include the AWC tax proposal, the state organization’s priorities are included in the council packet.
The 1% limit is on the total amount raised from property taxes in an individual taxing district. It doesn’t apply to each property but rather the total amount from all of them. Changes to individual tax bills can vary according to valuations which can vary according to location and other factors.
New surveillance equipment
The Richland Police Department will accept a $17,678 grant “for use in the purchase of motor vehicle theft equipment and technology,” according to information provided with the council agenda.
The newly acquired technology “features live remote viewing, recording capabilities, night vision and the ability to pan and zoom,” according to Richland City Manager Jon Amundson in an email to the Observer
Last year, Richland and other jurisdictions in the area installed Flock cameras to photography license plate numbers on streets in the area.
While license plate readers are described as anti-car theft technology, they are also used to apprehend other criminal suspects. Reports from Florida noted that police used license plate readers to capture former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin Ryan Roth. The technology may have also been used to find double-murder suspect Elias Huizar after he fled the Tri-Cities with his baby son in the backseat.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) doesn’t oppose the technology but wants more oversight and protections from abuse of the systems.
If property taxes went up to 3%, we would not be able to afford to keep our house in retirement, we would have to sell and move out of WA.
Hi Connie, I appreciate your comment. An increase in the tax cap wouldn’t be felt equally among all taxpayers. it would definitely raise property taxes for some and there is assistance for seniors and low-income residents.. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
have you ever looked into actually looked into the program for assist for seniors, You realize you can only apply for that if you make under $58,644 a year for a couple, why should our taxes be raised, when government refuses to cut spending, why do we have to bear burden of inflation and the government doesn’t. you also realize our medicare has also tripled. also this increase in property taxes will also be passed onto people who rent. i dont see how you dont think that it wont affect all taxpayers. increase in property taxes affects ALL.
Hi Connie, You have made some very good points, and I have to say that I agree with you. In the long term an increase in the property tax rate will hit everyone. As for the assistance program, at that level not many seniors will qualify. The increase would be a problem for many people if it were approved by the legislature. Thank you for reading the Observer.
if the increase is approved, we would be the highest state of property taxes..