FAQs

Proposed Amendment 25 won’t cut your property taxes. It won’t provide more effective or efficient county governance, either.

The Clark County Council already requires a 60% supermajority (three of the five councilors) to approve new tax levies.

Requiring an 80% supermajority (four out of five councilors) would enact the highest and most difficult threshold in Washington State. Eighty percent is a high bar that’s usually reserved for, say, ratifying a constitutional amendment, not finalizing ordinary government decisions.

Councilmanic means the County Council can approve a tax levy without going to the voters for approval. It generally refers to a limited range of sales taxes and annual property tax levies. In 2001, Washington State voters approved a 1% cap on councilmanic levy rate increases.

Councilmanic taxes support Clark County’s General Fund, Road Fund, Conservation Futures, and the Metropolitan Park District.

The General Fund covers general services. Law and Justice (including the Sheriff’s Office and courts) accounts for 73% of General Fund expenses, while the remaining 27% pays for vital county services: the County Council; the offices of Auditor, Assessor, Clerk, and Treasurer; Animal Control; Public Works; Vegetation Management, among others.

From 2024 to 2025, the median* Clark County household saw its share of county-directed taxes increase by $20.89.

In 2025, the County Council voted to approve property tax levies for the General Fund, Road Fund, Conservation Futures, and Metropolitan Parks Department, raising $3 million in revenue for county services.

*According to RMLS data, the median home value in Clark County was assessed at $550,000 in 2025.

With inflation climbing, even the 1% property tax levy increase doesn’t always cover the cost to maintain vital services.

Property taxes are the primary revenue source for Clark County. Sales tax revenue, which depends on the strength of the economy overall, is volatile. And despite being required to fund a number of state mandates, only 10% of the county’s General Fund comes from the state and federal governments.

Yes, many times. In seven of the last 14 years, the County Council voted not to approve the 1% property tax levy increase. The decision has never  been taken lightly.

Fees go up or new fees are implemented, if necessary. Building permit fees, marriage license fees, and park use fees, among others, have recently been increased.

It’s unlikely. When a minority voice knows they hold all the cards, they can create political gridlock. With a supermajority requirement, the County Council could face a delay or stalemate, hindering their response to a real financial crisis.

The Pierce County Charter is written differently than Proposed Amendment 25. Pierce County Charter Section 2.20 – 1 (a) specifically excludes “taxes imposed by the Council on or before January 1, 2013 which are subject to renewal or reauthorization, such as the general property tax levy and the excess property tax levy.”

This means that the Pierce County Council can increase the 1% property tax as part of their budget process. But, even with the 1% increase, Pierce County relies much more heavily on fees and it is still in a budget deficit because the 1% increase does not keep up with inflation.