JAKE AND SPIKE

‘It would ruin the housing market’: Jake and Spike fight over potential property tax increase

Apr 15, 2025, 9:13 AM | Updated: 9:15 am

property tax...

'It would ruin the housing market': Jake and Spike talk property taxes (Photo: David McNew, Getty Images)

(Photo: David McNew, Getty Images)

New House Bill 2049 could raise the annual cap on property tax increases from 1% to 3% in Washington if passed.

Jake Skorheim, co-host of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, said he believes a tax hike of that magnitude could have disastrous effects on the housing market and affordability.

“A 3% or 4% increase would ruin the housing market,” Skorheim said. “I think that would have such a horrible effect. It’s going to make it way too expensive for people to afford.”

Property tax hike in WA?

Although he recognises that property tax hikes could be problematic for some homeowners, Spike O’Neill, co-host of “The Jake and Spike Show,” doesn’t see many other options for funding education services in Washington.

“The current 1% cap on property tax increases just isn’t cutting it. We’re facing a massive budget shortfall—around $16 billion, I believe—and we’re also losing federal funding due to policy changes from the Trump administration,” O’Neill said. “Since states rely heavily on property taxes to fund education, this creates an even bigger financial strain.”

Listen to the full conversation below:

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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