Editors note: The Journal reached out to the Assesors Office to see if they had any thoughts or comments, and County Assesor John Kulseth responded “The state constitution only allows one rate for property unless it’s established as a separate class by the legislature, such as current use (farm, forest) and senior citizen/ disabled persons.

As it stands, higher value property pays more because it’s the same rate applied to all. The legislature would have to act to assign a higher rate to higher valued property.”

Can local levies and taxes be levied on a “sliding scale” so that lower valued properties are taxed at a lower percentage while higher valued properties are taxed at a higher percentage? Thus being less of a burden for people with less wealth and more of a burden for people who can afford it.

John Howe,

San Juan Island