OLYMPIA, WA (MYBELLINGHAMNOW.COM) – State Senate Democrats have killed a bill that would have allowed local governments to take a larger property tax bite each year.

Senate Bill 5770 would have allowed local governments to increase their share of the property tax each year by 3% or the rate of inflation, which ever is lower.

Current law only allows them a 1% increase without a lid lift approved by voters.

King County and some other local governments told lawmakers their budgets are being squeezed by both wage and price inflation.

They say they’ll have to layoff workers and cut services if they can’t raise more revenue.

But the Seattle Times reports that opposition was so strong that two of the bill’s sponsors even removed their names from it last week.