H-0579.1  _______________________________________________

                    HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4200

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Dunshee, Butler, Morris, Conway, Dickerson, Keiser, Hatfield, Blalock, Cooper, Mason, Cody, Costa, Ogden, Linville, Kessler, Constantine, Grant, Anderson, Chopp, Wood, Gardner and Gombosky

Read first time 01/13/97.  Referred to Committee on Finance.

Amending the state Constitution to allow a credit against property taxes on owner-occupied residential property.

    BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:

    THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article VII of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new section to read as follows:

    Article VII, section . . .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the legislature may provide a credit against state ad valorem taxes equal to the taxes imposed on a fixed amount of assessed valuation of owner-occupied residential property that is not primarily used for commercial purposes.  No credit may result in increased property taxes on other taxpayers.

    The legislature may place such other restrictions and conditions upon the applicability of the credit under this section as it shall deem proper.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.

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