Understanding your county dollars

Chelan County taxes & revenue, explained

Beyond your annual property tax (on the Home Page): estimate the real estate excise tax you would pay when selling a home, see how local sales tax breaks down, and explore the many other ways the county is funded. Plain-English, voter-education tools from Rick Viall’s campaign.

Selling a home? Estimate your REET

A one-time tax the seller pays at closing · collected by the County Treasurer

Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) is a one-time tax owed when a property sells — not an annual bill. Enter an estimated sale price to see the state and local portions.

Estimating for Wenatchee (default rate).

How much is sales tax here?

Set by the state, county & local districts · administered by the WA Dept. of Revenue

Washington’s state sales tax is 6.5%; Chelan County cities and districts add a local share on top. Enter an amount and choose a location to see how it splits.

Beyond the big three: where else the county’s money comes from

Most people know the “big three” — property tax, sales tax, and REET. But Chelan County also draws on roughly $96.5 million a year in other revenue: grants, charges for services, dedicated levies, fees, and more. Most of it is restricted to specific funds like Roads, 911, and Mental Health. These charts (FY 2025 budget) walk through all eight categories.

Chelan County miscellaneous revenue chart, page 1 of 12
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Source: Chelan County Funds Reference — FY 2025 (budgeted, not actuals); WA Dept. of Revenue; DOI PILT database. Figures exclude intra-county transfers to avoid double-counting. A voter-education resource produced by Rick Viall’s campaign for Chelan County Treasurer — not a product of the Treasurer’s or Assessor’s office.

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Questions, or want to help the campaign?

Follow the campaign on Facebook. Email rickviall@gmail.com or call (509) 670-8999.