Super Majority Requirement on Taxes In Place By January

Yakima has become the second city in the state, and third local government, to adopt a higher threshold to increase local taxes.

Proposition 1 was approved by nearly 70 percent of voters on Tuesday.

Ben Shoval from the group Citizens For Two Thirds says he knew the voters would support the measure. “I heard from voters loud and clear and it was really a wonderful feeling ending up with 69 percent more than two thirds of Yakima voters supporting this.”

Shoval says limits on taxes makes sense and he believes voters wanted those limits. The reason he believes why there was such support.

Proposition 1 amends the city charter to require all tax increases receive the approval of either five of seven members of the city council, or simple majority approval of voters. The policy change is modeled after the state-approved two-thirds requirement to raise taxes, as well as local requirements approved by voters in Spokane and Pierce County.

The measure goes into effect 30 days after the election is certified on November 26.