City officials are encouraged to mark your calendars and attend the upcoming Tax Town Hall in our area, hosted by the Washington State Tax Structure Work Group (TSWG), a bipartisan, multi-agency state workgroup.
The Tax Town Halls will take place on Wednesdays 9/22 – 11/3. The Town Hall will offer two identical sessions, one in the afternoon (2:30 – 4 pm) and one in the evening (6:30 – 8 pm), to accommodate community members’ schedules. Be on the lookout
for direct invites to taxpayers from legislators in the coming weeks.
Virtual Tax Town Hall schedule and regions:
Region | State legislative districts | Date | Afternoon session | Evening session |
|---|
Eastern | 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 16 | September 22 | 2:30 – 4 pm | 6:30 – 8 pm |
Central | 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 | September 29 | 2:30 – 4 pm | 6:30 – 8 pm |
Northwest | 10, 38, 39, 40, 42, 44 | October 6 | 2:30 – 4 pm | 6:30 – 8 pm |
West | 2, 22, 23, 24, 26, 35 | October 13 | 2:30 – 4 pm | 6:30 – 8 pm |
Southwest | 17, 18, 19, 20, 49 | October 20 | 2:30 – 4 pm | 6:30 – 8 pm |
Central/North Puget Sound | 1, 11, 21, 32, 34, 36, 37, 43, 46 | October 27 | 2:30 – 4 pm | 6:30 – 8 pm |
South/East Puget Sound | 5, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 41, 45, 47, 48 | November 3 | 2:30 – 4 pm | 6:30 – 8 pm |
During these virtual Tax Town Halls, individual taxpayers and business owners will share their opinions about the state tax structure. Next year, the TSWG will use the feedback from community members and businesses to develop proposed legislation.
The agenda for the 90-minute virtual Town Halls will include:
- Welcome
- Purpose and goals of the Tax Structure Work Group
- Background information on the current state tax structure
- Interactive breakout sessions where participants explore revenue-neutral* scenarios for changes to the state tax structure and share their feedback
The TSWG invites local elected officials to attend their region’s Tax Town Hall in a listening role, rather than a speaking role. Your presence will be acknowledged, and our constituents share with you firsthand what they have to say about the state
tax structure. The work group’s goal is to evenly assign elected officials to small group breakout sessions to maximize visibility, so please register at the link below and indicate your title so you can be properly acknowledged.
Register for a Tax Town Hall
Finally, please note that there are city and county representatives serving on the work group. There will be opportunities for local elected officials to offer their feedback to the work group outside of these Tax Town Halls.
If you have questions, please contact Maggie Douglas or Dat Nguyen at dnguyen@triangleassociates.com.
*All tax scenarios are revenue neutral, with one exception: a discussion of the property tax growth limit factor (intentionally isolated to facilitate a transparent conversation on fiscal impacts).