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On Jan 9 at the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce 26th LD Legislative sendoff meeting Michelle Caldier commented on Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) legislation passed last session. She complained that her constituents were being harmed by higher rates.

Yes, Washington State will see an increase in revenue for capital improvements (that benefit everyone - Streets, parks, sewers, etc) from a restructured excise tax that goes into effect on January 1, 2020.

However, it will now be a PROGRESSIVE-GRADUATED RATE rather than the old FLAT-REGRESSSIVE RATE. 

Over 90% of the citizens of the 26th LD would see no increase, and some will see an actual decrease in Excise Tax paid IF THEY SELL THEIR HOME.

The old combined state and county tax rate was 1.78%. In 2020 REET will be collected progressively based on the sales price of your property. Under $500K it is reduced to (1.6%), $500,001 to $1,500,000 (1.78%) no change, 1,500,001 to 3,000,000 (2,75%) an increase and over $3,000,000,000 (3.00%) an increase. 

THE TRUTH: Only if you sell your home
Valued $500k or less - you'll pay REDUCED RATE
Valued $500k to $1.5 million - you'll pay  SAME RATE

The average price of homes in 26LD range from on the KP $350K, Port Orchard $370K, Kitsap County $400K and Gig Harbor $530K. The vast majority of homeowners in our area will not see any increase and some will actually benefit from these new progressive rates.

Only the sellers of million-dollar McMansions will see an increase if they sell their homes.

Michelle claiming her constituents will be harmed is either an uninformed disingenuous statement or her constituents are the ultra-wealthy who can surely afford to pay a little extra, considering the rapid rise in value of home values in this hot real estate market. 

Al Franken wrote a book about politicians titled “Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them” 

We need a legislator in Olympia who will look after the average Joe Taxpayer and not cater to the upper crust. 

https://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlecondoreview/2019/05/01/new-progressive-state-real-estate-excise-tax-will-significantly-affect-sellers-of-1-5m-properties/

Michelle Caldier's Record:

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ WA

'Shine a Light on the Right' focuses on the records and activities of our statehouse reps to help voters in Washington State's 26th Legislative District make informed choices and impart reliable information with fellow voters who share our progressive values. Our goal is to keep you informed, incensed, and inspired to action!

Michelle Caldier is a blood-red Republican! Although she would have us believe she is a moderate, and works in a bi-partisan fashion, in reality, she is perfectly aligned with the far-right drift of the Republican Party. Some on the right-wing fringe even attempt to portray her as a RINO (Republican in name only), but that is patently false.

 In fact, her voting record reveals she has voted along Republican party lines a dozen more times than her ultra-extremist State Housemate, Jesse Young!

On key issues that Democrats care about – healthcare, education, housing, sensible gun laws, and especially the environment, Caldier votes straight along the Republican party line.

A small sampling of progressive legislation Michelle Caldier opposed in 2019:

• AGAINST! Increasing access to healthcare (SB 5526)
• AGAINST! K-12 Education funding (HB 2140 & HB 2163)
• AGAINST! Strengthening workers’ rights through collective bargaining (HB1575)
• AGAINST! Red Flag law regarding firearms (SB5205)

Some of Michelle Caldier’s grades for 2019:

• “F” -- NARAL - Pro Choice America
• “30%” -- Washington State Labor Council
• “D” -- Alliance for Gun Responsibility

Michelle Caldier's Record:

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ WA

Her positions are not bi-partisan in the least; in fact, she is right in line with her Republican confederates.

'Shine a Light on the Right' focuses on the records and activities of our statehouse reps to help voters in Washington State's 26th Legislative District make informed choices and impart reliable information with fellow voters who share our progressive values. Our goal is to keep you informed, incensed, and inspired to action!

Michelle Caldier launched her political career with dirty campaign tricks that diminished the value of political discourse and added greatly to voter mistrust in the political process. 

She was elected based on a maliciously misleading attack on Larry Seaquist, resulting in a years-long libel suit.

Seaquist was the incumbent and remains one of the most highly regarded Democratic leaders in the State. After a joint meeting, he took a photo of her automatic hardtop convertible car, thinking it looked cool. Caldier is hardly seen in the photo and is completely unrecognizable. (It was taken from behind the car, as the roof retracted.) She accused him of stalking her and other completely made-up nonsense. She put out crudely photoshopped mailers, basing her campaign on slander and false innuendo. The judge in the libel suit acknowledged that her actions were “unquestionably misleading and ignoble.” The case was dismissed because the judge concluded that this kind of misleading info is sadly de rigueur in politics. 

This prompts our response – just because you can – doesn’t mean you should! In the 26th District we feel there are enough issues to debate without sinking to devious tricks, deliberately fake personal attacks and mudslinging. 

https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/article236787158.html

This is what the Legislative Code (RCW) has to say about political discourse: 

(5) “The legislature finds that defamatory statements, made with actual malice, damage the integrity of elections by distorting the electoral process. Democracy is premised on an informed electorate. To the extent such defamatory statements misinform the voters, they interfere with the process upon which democracy is based. Such defamatory statements also lower the quality of campaign discourse and debate, and lead or add to voter alienation by fostering voter cynicism and distrust of the political process." 

https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.17A.335

Michelle Caldier's Record:

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ WA

'Shine a Light on the Right' focuses on the records and activities of our statehouse reps to help voters in Washington State's 26th Legislative District make informed choices and impart reliable information with fellow voters who share our progressive values. Our goal is to keep you informed, incensed, and inspired to action!