As Washingtonians confront a rising cost of living that impacts everything from groceries to housing, seniors on fixed incomes are feeling the squeeze the hardest, a news release from state Rep. Stephanie Barnard, R-Pasco, stated.
Community senior centers often serve as the primary safety net for these individuals, providing essential health services, nutrition and social connection. However, these hubs are facing their own financial pressures, struggling to manage operating costs while serving a growing population in need, according to the release.
To ensure these lifelines remain open and accessible, Barnard has championed House Bill 2133, legislation that permanently secures a critical property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizen centers, the release announced. The bill passed the House of Representatives unanimously.
“Across our state, seniors are making impossible choices between paying for medicine, heat, or food,” Barnard said. “Senior centers are often the only place they can turn to for a hot meal or a check-in. But these centers are operating on razor-thin margins. If we allow their tax exemptions to expire while costs are skyrocketing, we are effectively closing the doors on our seniors when they need support the most.”
HB 2133 eliminates the expiration date on a property tax exemption originally enacted in 2017. Without this legislation, the exemption is set to expire in 2028.
The bill also protects these centers’ ability to raise funds through thrift stores or farmers’ markets without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. The flexibility allows senior centers to generate their own revenue to cover maintenance and operations expenses, further shielding seniors from increased costs, the release stated.
“This bill reflects a commitment to affordability and respect for the generation that built our communities,” Barnard said in the release. “By making this tax relief permanent, we are giving these centers the certainty they need to stay open. We cannot balance the state’s books on the backs of our seniors or the nonprofits that serve them.”
HB 2133 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
