The March 2013 Economic and Revenue Forecast
March 13, 2013

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Sales Tax

The Great Recession and an anemic recovery have taken a major toll on the county's second largest tax revenue source. The retail sales tax in King County is currently 9.5%, however the bulk of this revenue is taken by the state and our regional transit authority (Sound Transit). The remaining portions King County receives go on to fund metro transit, criminal justice programs, mental health programs, chidren and family service programs and general government operations. Click here for a visual representation of the breakdown.

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Assessed Value

After years of record growth during the housing bubble, the county's assessed value has declined for three consecutive years. A frequently asked question is "if assessments are falling, shouldn't my property taxes fall too?" The King County Assessor's website has a great FAQ for that and similar questions.

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Inflation

Inflation can be a confusing topic because it can measured in a number of ways. Since 2009 we've experienced relatively low annual inflation in most broad indexes which has some benefits and other drawbacks. One benefit is that labor and operating costs can be lessened with lower inflation. Inflation policy makers target for an annual inflation rate of around 2%.

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Real Estate Excise Tax

In unincorporated areas, the county levies two identical 0.25% excise taxes on all real estate transactions that go on to fund capital improvements and parks. A collapse of the housing market has drastically lowered REET collections as both demand and prices have fallen precipitously. Also, as more annexations occur in unincorporated King County, REET revenues will be pushed down further.