Washington State Board of Tax Appeals --

Members

The Washington State Board of Tax Appeals (Board), composed of three members appointed by the governor, is the state's full-time administrative tax court that adjudicates a variety of tax-related appeals filed by aggrieved taxpayers, taxing units, and county assessors.

Terry Sebring was appointed to the Board of Tax Appeals on May 1, 2005 by Governor Christine Gregoire. He is an attorney, WSBA # 6039, admitted in May 1975. He previously served as a Pierce County Superior Court Judge for over 12 years, retiring in December 2002. He has also worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Lacey Torts Division, Legal Counsel for Governor Booth Gardner, Administrative Officer for the Pierce County Executive, Pierce County Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, and an officer in the U.S. Army. His education includes a law degree from the University of Puget Sound Law School, B.A. degree from Washington State University.

Kay Slonim was appointed by Governor Gregoire on July 1, 2007. She graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1977 and practiced in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Washington. She obtained a graduate law degree in taxation at Boston University in 1980. Prior to law school, she was a social worker in

Georgia

and Wisconsin. While working for the King County Prosecuting Attorney (Civil Division) from 1983 through 1989, Ms. Slonim represented and advised the county treasurer and assessor, among other county officials. In private practice from late 1989 until the appointment, she represented taxpayers in state excise tax refund claims, audits and appeals, and handled property tax appeals for complex industrial properties and commercial properties. She worked part-time in private practice while raising twin daughters; involved in volunteer and PTA activities at their elementary and middle schools in Seattle.

Stephen Johnson was appointed to the Board of Tax Appeals on April 13, 2009 by Governor Christine Gregoire for a six year term. He graduated from Whitman College in 1961 with a degree in economics and from University of Washington Law School in 1964. He has engaged in the private practice of law since that time with an emphasis on real estate and estate planning and taxation. He served five years on the Kent School District Board of Directors and 12 years (three terms) in the Washington State Senate representing the 47 th Legislative District in southeast King County. While in the Senate, Johnson served as the majority floor leader, committee chairman and a member of the Legislative Ethics Board. He was honored in 2005 by receiving the Outstanding Elected Official Award from the Washington State Bar Association. Johnson and his wife, Lynn, live in Kent where they raised their two children and now enjoy their five grandchildren.

Note: Ms. Slonim is presently the Chair of the Board, Mr. Johnson is the Vice Chair, and Mr. Sebring is the Member. State law (RCW 82.03.080) requires that the Board "meet and elect from among its members a chairman . . . at least biennially".

Members

Staff