To the editor:

We watch with utter disbelief while Gov. Christine Gregoire and State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen campaign for re-election, bragging about putting a 1 percent property tax cap in place to protect Washington homeowners.

Well, we recently received a change-of-value notice from the Island County assessor.

We live in Freeland. The land value of our home increased by 124 percent over its value of a year ago. When combined with our house, the increase was 35 percent.

We spoke with the Island County Assessor’s Office and our appraised value now is “only” 17 percent higher than last year. That means if millage rates stay the same as last year, a highly dubious likelihood, and no new assessments are adopted, another unlikely occurrence, our property taxes will increase by $600!

That amount is considerably more than the bogus 1 percent tax cap being claimed by Sen. Haugen and Gov. Gregoire.

The 1 percent tax cap is actually an average of all tax assessment increases in a tax district. A 1 percent increase on our home is considerably more than a 1 percent increase on the manufactured home down the street. So, the individual homeowner is not protected at all.

It’s time for a new perspective in Olympia.

Rod and Carol Mourant

Freeland