How Do Property Taxes in Lake Forest Park Compare to Neighboring Cities?
Monday, October 12, 2026
An important point of reference for LFP voters regarding the Prop 1 ballot measure this November is how our city’s property tax level compares with our neighbors.
Here are the current overall property tax levels for Lake Forest Park and several neighboring cities. These figures are available from King County here.
Lake Forest Park’s rate is lower than all three of these neighboring cities. Prop 1 in LFP would increase our tax rate by 22 cents per $1000 of assessed value. Even with this increase our overall property tax rate will be significantly lower than our neighbors. People are often surprised that LFP, like other King County cities, gets a rather small portion of the total property tax bill – about 7%.
What’s in Prop 1? Like the levy voters turned down last year by 19 votes, all proceeds are dedicated to maintaining police and public safety services, and the rate increase has a 6-year period, meaning that it will end after 6 years.
It’s different from the last levy request in that the amount is lower, 22 cents per $1000 of assessed value, as opposed to 24 cents last time. Another difference is that this November’s levy proposal has been endorsed by all seven councilmembers.
For additional information, see the City’s web page here.
Since 2001, when the requirement for voter approval of property tax increases of more than 1% went into effect, inflation in King County has averaged 3-4% per year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, totaling roughly 90% over the last 25 years.
On the other hand, LFP property taxes during that period have not increased more than 1% per year – some years no increase. An increase is long overdue. With only a 1% increase last year, significant reserve funds had to be used to balance the current budget. Without passage of Prop 1 next month, additional reserves undoubtedly will be depleted, along with the real possibility of service cuts.
I hope you will join me and many others in Lake Forest Park who recognize the urgent need to vote YES on Prop 1, a temporary, modest rate increase to maintain our high-quality police and public safety services.
- Lake Forest Park - 9.06083. or a little over $9 per each $1,000 of assessed property value.
- Shoreline - 9.95297, or almost $10 per $1000 of assessed value.
- Kenmore - 9.65652, or $9.65 per $1000 of assessed value.
- Bothell – 9.74130, or $9.74 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Lake Forest Park’s rate is lower than all three of these neighboring cities. Prop 1 in LFP would increase our tax rate by 22 cents per $1000 of assessed value. Even with this increase our overall property tax rate will be significantly lower than our neighbors. People are often surprised that LFP, like other King County cities, gets a rather small portion of the total property tax bill – about 7%.
What’s in Prop 1? Like the levy voters turned down last year by 19 votes, all proceeds are dedicated to maintaining police and public safety services, and the rate increase has a 6-year period, meaning that it will end after 6 years.
It’s different from the last levy request in that the amount is lower, 22 cents per $1000 of assessed value, as opposed to 24 cents last time. Another difference is that this November’s levy proposal has been endorsed by all seven councilmembers.
For additional information, see the City’s web page here.
Since 2001, when the requirement for voter approval of property tax increases of more than 1% went into effect, inflation in King County has averaged 3-4% per year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, totaling roughly 90% over the last 25 years.
On the other hand, LFP property taxes during that period have not increased more than 1% per year – some years no increase. An increase is long overdue. With only a 1% increase last year, significant reserve funds had to be used to balance the current budget. Without passage of Prop 1 next month, additional reserves undoubtedly will be depleted, along with the real possibility of service cuts.
I hope you will join me and many others in Lake Forest Park who recognize the urgent need to vote YES on Prop 1, a temporary, modest rate increase to maintain our high-quality police and public safety services.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment