Protecting taxpayers in the case of a government error and an invitation to our March 16th town halls.

Friends,

It has been a busy week here in Olympia! Last Friday we entered floor debate for the “House of Origin Cutoff”. This means that a bill which was initially introduced into the House (vs. Senate) has to be passed by Wednesday, March 13^th, or it won’t become law this year. This part of the 2019 session is full of late nights and hard work passing bills that help the people of Washington – with my primary focus being on helping the incredible communities that I represent; North Bend, Snoqualmie, Carnation, Sammamish, Issaquah, Maple Valley, Black Diamond, Renton, and all of the surrounding areas!

Simplifying Property Tax Refunds

It was my honor to be able to put forth one of the bills which passed out of the House on Monday, March 4^th. HB 1852 protects Washingtonians by simplifying the ability to receive a property tax refund when the error is on the part of the government. Currently, taxpayers must file a claim for each year on refunds three years or older, even if they paid too much in taxes at the time due to an error on the part of the government. This added step creates an extra hurdle for taxpayers, though it is a government error. This isn’t fair to taxpayers and we are fixing it. When the government makes a mistake, the process of making it right for Washingtonians should be as easy as possible. I am proud of the passing of HB 1852, which is focused on consumer protection, as my first bill as a member of the House of Representatives.

5th Legislative District Town Halls in Maple Valley, Issaquah and North Bend

I am looking forward to seeing as many of our 5^th LD folks as possible at the three Town Halls being held next Saturday, March 16^th in Maple Valley, Issaquah and North Bend! Senator Mark Mullet, Representative Lisa Callan and I will give an update on the 2019 legislative session, share our thoughts on the legislative priorities, and answer your questions on issues that are of interest to you. The details of the three Town Halls are listed below. We would love to see you there!

As always, I look forward to hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to schedule time for a conversation over the phone or for an in-person conversation in Olympia. You can contact me or my Legislative Assistant, Hunter Cooper, at Bill.Ramos@leg.wa.gov or 360-786-7852.

Thank you,

 

 

Rep. Bill Ramos.