State Eases Burden on Delinquent Taxpayers
New legislation reduces interest penalties and provides more breathing room before property can be sold for unpaid taxes.
Property owners of Washington should familiarize themselves with the new law governing delinquent taxes. The rate of interest on delinquent taxes has been reduced from 15 to 12 percent, and three years of taxes must be delinquent before property can be sold. The law is designed to lessen speculation in certificates of delinquency and make it easier to hold onto one's property. The law does not reduce the actual tax rate—something taxpayers must solve for themselves—but it provides a more generous timeline for those behind on payments.
“The new law is generally designed to lessen speculation in certificates of delinquency and to make it easier to own property in the state.”
The struggle to balance public revenue needs against the risk of displacement through tax foreclosure remains a central friction in Washington’s housing debate. Even in 1917, the legislature had to navigate the tension between government liquidity and the protection of the property-owning class.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.