Xerox Corporation v. King County

This appeal involves taxation of personal property. The taxpayer paid its taxes under protest and sued for a refund pursuant to RCW 84.68.020. The trial court found that the assessor had used a fundamentally wrong method of valuation, adopted a different method which reduced the assessor's value by 16.6 percent, resulting in a refund of $68,864.84. Both parties appeal. We affirm.

Xerox, the taxpayer, manufactures, sells, and leases photocopiers and related equipment. Virtually all of these copiers are on lease though most carry a list price and can be purchased. In the pertinent year, in King…