Seattle Turns to Courts to Invalidate Tax Cap.

• Position: Initiative 722 property tax cap - Brief Article

The City of Seattle and surrounding jurisdictions are seeking an injunction to block the implementation of Initiative 722, the voter-approved measure that caps property-tax increases and rolls back some 1999 fees and taxes. In seeking the injunction, the cities said that implementing 1-722 would be chaotic and unnecessary if the measure is later found to be unconstitutional. The cities have argued that it is unconstitutional because it seeks to do two different things, a violation of Washington state's "single-subject" rule. At stake are millions of dollars in tax revenue that cities and counties want to keep and 1-722 supporters want refunded to taxpayers. In Seattle's case, thc city council passed a $2.4 billion budget that ignores 1-722's 2 percent property-tax cap. The council's budget calls for a 4.1 percent property-tax increase next year. Some $3.2 million...