S-0669.1  _______________________________________________

                    SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8003

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Jacobsen, Oke, T. Sheldon, Rossi, Swecker, Rasmussen, Morton and Zarelli

Read first time 01/18/1999.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation.

Requesting legislation to eliminate family forests from estate taxes.

    TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO ROBERT E. RUBIN, SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, Continuity of family ownership of farms and forests is a fundamental part of our American heritage; and

    WHEREAS, Nonindustrial private forest landowners own nearly half of the privately managed forest land in the State of Washington; and

    WHEREAS, Timber growing requires long-term stable ownership with financial investments over several generations to attain a sustainable forestry objective; and

    WHEREAS, Many of these landowners have invested most of their lives in managing this forest land for the benefit of society by practicing good forest management, enhancing wildlife and fisheries habitat, and protecting water, and these investments are placed at risk by large estate taxes; and

    WHEREAS, Estate taxes at the death of one generation frequently destroy family forest land ownership and the sustainable forestry and stewardship plans are not passed to the next generation of landowners;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that legislation be enacted to reform estate taxes, to eliminate family forests from estate taxes, and to remove barriers that current estate tax laws pose to the right to pass an individual's estate to his or her family.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, Robert E. Rubin, Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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