7/7/25 By Dominique Scarimbolo
Hello All King Co. CAPR members,
We are in a critical time. With the current climate, I think there is no better time than the present to re-invigorate this chapter, and really take things to the mat in things we need to challenge and make people aware of. One of the top priorities we need to challenge is specifically property taxes. For those that are not aware, property tax appeals/petitions must be postmarked by July 1st of the assessment year, or within 60 days after the date of the value change notice. Here is the website to look up your specific property tax appeal deadlines https://blue.kingcounty.gov/assessor/eappeals/RPLookup.aspx
This appeal is something we ALL need to do. We need to challenge the system. Our property assessment through mass appraisal systems is filled with fraud and manipulated information to directly inflate property values to therefore extort more in property taxes. And we absolutely need to show the county that we are aware of exactly what they are doing. Appeals can be done online through the following site https://blue.kingcounty.gov/assessor/eappeals/Index.aspx
I urge you all to join with me and start looking into not only “comparables” but also looking at neighboring property values through parcel viewer, and you will see the lack of uniformity in property values. I have several documents that I will make available for use as a template for others as a guide in arguing property tax appeals.
Another big challenge that we need to make has to do with King County’s entire zoning code. It is entirely unconstitutional, and according to Marbury v Madision “If any statement, within any law, which is passed, is unconstitutional, the whole law is unconstitutional.” Also Shuttlesworth v City of Birmingham, The court's ruling established that when faced with an unconstitutional permitting scheme, individuals have the right to proceed with their planned activities without seeking a permit, and they can do so "with impunity". Our entire zoning code is explicitly written to be vague, and it is not reasonable that the average person will or even can comply within really any portion of it, because knowledge of the zoning code, especially with its seemingly endless “interpretations” make it otherwise impossible. We need not seek permission for anything that we wish to do with our individual properties, provided we do not “harm” our fellow man or neighbors, we have every right to do with our properties as we please, to maximize its use to the full potential in the pursuit of happiness/financial liberty/prosperity.
We will be heavily working on these two fronts in doing our part to help make changes. Let’s get this chapter going, and let’s get more people involved, increase awareness, and help make changes where our citizens so desperately need it!
Cheers,
Dominique
Please join forces and participate in the July 24th, 6:30 pm Property Rights/ Property Valuation Workshop at the Four Horseman Brewery!
The concepts and ideas to be explored:
LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN RA5 ZONING LAND VALUATION
FAILURE TO APPLY CONSISTENT MASS APPRAISAL METHODS
THE 1% PROPERTY TAX CAP AND INCONSISTENT APPLICATION
DEMAND FOR METHODOLOGY DISCLOSURE
CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Have The substantial inconsistencies in per-acre land valuations and year-over-year percentage increases within the RA5 zoning classification demonstrated that King County has failed to adhere to the constitutional and statutory requirements for uniform property assessment?
July 7, 2025