Summary

Councilmember Reagan Dunn has introduced legislation to give property taxpayers more flexibility as they suffer impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

Story

Metropolitan King County Vice Chair Reagan Dunn on Wednesday introduced legislation that would offer more tax relief for property taxpayers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. His proposed payment plan would give taxpayers the option to make smaller property tax payments over a six-month period, rather than make a lump sum payment on June 1.

“In our current crisis, a mere delay on property taxes isn’t enough to meet the great financial need of many King County residents,” Dunn said. “We should act now to help taxpayers who are doing everything they can to make ends meet, but still face a due-in-full property tax bill even as the economic fallout intensifies.”

On March 30, King County Executive Dow Constantine extended the due date for the first half of 2020 property taxes from April 30 to June 1, 2020. Since then, economic activity in the region has plummeted and unemployment rates have skyrocketed, greatly increasing financial hardships for many King County residents.

Dunn’s legislation would allow the County Treasurer to instate property tax payment plans for both first half and second half taxes for 2020 and 2021, extending up to six months past the due date. This would allow property tax bills to be split into five payments, with the first payment of first-half taxes due June 30, 2020, and the first payment of second-half taxes due November 30, 2020.

This legislation will be introduced at the full King County Council on May 26, 2020.