Opinion: The stage is set for a battle royale

Rep. John Ley outlines key legislative battles in Olympia, raising concerns about tax hikes, tolling, and spending priorities in Washington state. File photo

Rep. John Ley discusses the battle over tax increases in the Washington State Legislature

Rep. John Ley
for Clark County Today

In the halls of Olympia, a fierce battle is raging over the future of taxes and spending in Washington state. As a Republican representative, I’m fighting to protect taxpayers from what I see as excessive tax hikes and wasteful spending proposed by majority Democrats. With proposals on the table that could drastically increase your financial burden, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Property tax increase battle

At the forefront of this debate is the proposed elimination of the 1% cap on annual property tax increases — a change many of you have said is unacceptable. Currently, property taxes can only rise by 1% per year, offering some predictability for homeowners. But Democrats are pushing two alternatives: one raising the cap to 3% annually, and another tying increases to inflation plus population growth, which could mean 4%, 5%, or even 6% jumps in a single year.

The impact is already hitting home. One Vancouver constituent shared that in 2014, his modest two-bedroom, one-bath, 900 square foot house was valued at $98,200, with a property tax bill of $1,345. By 2025, his home’s value has soared to $312,000, and his tax bill had climbed to $3,052. If taxes had simply tracked inflation, he’d be paying $1,814 — meaning he’s already shelling out over $1,200 more per year beyond inflation.

Removing the cap could worsen this, forcing many, especially those on fixed incomes, to sell their homes and leave Washington. You can’t have affordable housing if property taxes are unaffordable. I’m committed to stopping these increases so you can afford to stay in your home.

$10 tolls on the horizon?

Transportation funding is another flashpoint. Last week, the House Transportation Committee voted to double the borrowing for the Interstate Bridge replacement project from $1.25 billion to $2.5 billion, to be repaid through tolls. This could push tolls as high as $10 each way — double the previous high of $4.70 under congestion pricing. This is a steep price to pay for daily commuters.

Worse, the bill lacks language ensuring Oregon shares the financial burden equally with Washington. I plan to offer an amendment requiring a written agreement that Oregon covers half the cost, protecting our taxpayers.

If $10 tolls become a reality, expect chaos on I-205. During the Columbia River Crossing debate, estimates pegged 35,000 vehicles diverting to I-205 to avoid tolls. With over 100,000 new residents since then, diversion numbers could climb to 40,000 or more, turning I-205 into a parking lot. Everyone loses in this scenario.

Light rail battle: A $500 million question

I also recently offered an amendment to the budget to save Washington taxpayers $500 million. It would prohibit spending Washington taxpayer dollars on Portland’s TriMet light rail extension into Vancouver. We have far too many roads and bridges needing repair to spend your money on a transit organization owned in another state.

Oregon wants us to foot the bill for TriMet’s 19 new light rail vehicles for a mere 1.8-mile Yellow Line extension — at what appears to be triple the actual cost per vehicle. This is an outrageous fleecing of our taxpayers.

I raised these and other concerns with the House Speaker and Governor Bob Ferguson’s offices. The majority party rejected my amendment along party lines. It’s a stark reminder of the challenges in curbing wasteful spending.

The bigger picture

These fights reflect a broader divide. I voted against the Democrats’ spending proposals for both the operating and transportation budgets, arguing there’s no true crisis. Tax revenues are expected to grow over the next four years, but not as fast as the majority wants to spend.

House and Senate Democrats are debating among themselves over whose tax hike plan is “better,” proposing the largest increases in state history. Meanwhile, Governor Ferguson has drawn a line in the sand against major new taxes, setting the stage for a showdown.

As we head into the final three weeks of this session, I won’t be part of the Democrats’ internal squabble over how much to add to your tax bill. My focus remains on representing you, fighting to keep Washington affordable, and keeping you informed about what’s happening in Olympia. The decisions made here will shape our state’s future. Your voice and wallet deserve to be heard.

Rep. John Ley, R-Vancouver, represents Washington’s 18th Legislative District.