(The Center Square) – Lawmakers in the Washington House have unanimously approved a bill that would permanently lift taxes on senior centers.
Rep. Stephanie Barnard, R-Pasco, is the sponsor of House Bill 2133 that seeks to permanently secure a critical property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizen centers.
In 2017, House Bill 1526 established that senior centers did not have to pay property taxes. That bill had a “sunset clause,” set for Jan. 1, 2028.
According to the Washington Department of Health, there are about 135-140 senior centers operating in Washington state. These centers provide community services, outings and support for older adults across various cities in Washington, such as Auburn, Aberdeen, Enumclaw, and Everett.
“It’s the heart of our community. These elder day-centers are a place where our seniors can go and meet and congregate. They play cards, poker and they have lunch and get togethers, and for our communities it’s really important,” said Barnard in a Friday interview with The Center Square.
Current state law states: “One or more contiguous real property parcels and personal property owned by a senior citizen organization are exempt from taxation, if the property is used for the actual operation of a multipurpose senior citizen center.”
Barnard said many of Washington’s senior centers are barely able to stay afloat with the rising cost of living so she wanted to offer some relief.
“Those tax exemptions are going to come to a sunset, because they are reviewed periodically,” Barnard said, explaining that most tax exemptions in Washington sunset in a 10-year period. “So, this was just to make the tax exemption permanent on the senior centers. They can take a deep breath and recognize that this savings is not going to go away.”
The bill also protects these centers’ ability to raise funds through thrift stores or farmers’ markets without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status.
“This flexibility allows senior centers to generate their own revenue to cover maintenance and operations expenses, further shielding seniors from increased costs,” said a news release announcing the unanimous House approval.
Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, offered the Senate version of the same bill, which was also advancing, however it appears Barnard’s bill will be the legislation to move ahead for Senate consideration.
