King County taxpayer tool shows how much Aug. 6 ballot measures will cost

Each King County taxpayer can go to a county website to look at an individualized accounting of where their property tax dollars go, and the estimated cost of any proposed property tax measure to be voted on.

King County Assessor John Wilson on Tuesday released his August 2019 Taxpayer Transparency Tool. Residents in areas with property tax measures on the Aug. 6 ballot will be able to see how those measures will affect them. King County Elections will mail ballots this week.

City of Kent residents have two property tax measures on the ballot.

• Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority levy for fire protection and emergency medical services

• Replacement of the existing King County Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Space levy

“Taxpayers have a right to know where their money is going, and what each proposed property tax levy will cost them,” Wilson said in a news release. “Property taxes keep going up. We need to make sure the public understands why.”

The search will show how much residents pay for the parks levy and fire measure now as well as the new rate if the proposals are approved. The site also shows a breakdown of how much residents pay for all property taxes from schools to Sound Transit.

The Transparency Tool only shows the impact of property tax measures. Other ballot measures, including sales tax measures or benefit charges, are not included. The Tax Transparency Tool was introduced by Wilson and first used during the April special election in 2018.

Puget Sound Fire officials have said the higher property tax rate if the levy passes will be offset by a reduction in the fire benefit charge against each property.

The tool can be found online at:

localscape.spatialest.com/#kingcountyassessor/Tax.