OLYMPIA, Wash. — As state legislators head into the final weekend of the 2023 legislative session, it appears no new taxes will be part of the negotiated budget.
Rep. April Berg, D-44 District, said her effort to raise the real estate excise tax is dead for this year.
According to Berg’s spokesperson, the representative will continue to explore revenue opportunities for housing after the session ends Sunday night.
Berg’s proposal would have raised an estimated $200 million a year to be used for low-income and affordable housing by allowing local jurisdictions and the state to raise the tax charged to home sellers. The state’s proposed increase of half a percentage point would have applied to properties sold for more than $3.025 million.
By Sunday night at midnight legislators need to pass a balanced, two-year budget.
Over the weekend budgets for transportation and construction projects are expected to be debated.
Negotiators from the House and Senate will try and come to an agreement on a new drug possession law. The House version would make the offense a misdemeanor. The bill that passed out of the Senate called for it to be a more serious gross misdemeanor.
Among the legislation that has passed in the state Legislature so far is the bill to ban certain assault weapons and the bill to further protect Southern Resident orcas.
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