Looks like your property your Pima County property tax bill is going up….again. I was down at the board of supervisors meeting this morning and got an ear full of angry protesters at the end of their ropes with government taxation. 

From KVOA.com -

By a vote of three to two, the 4.35 percent primary tax increase was approved. For example, for the owner of a $200,000 home, the increase will raise their bill from $635 to $663, an increase of $28 dollars.

I’ve looked at all angles of this one and I’m still not sure how the tax will be implemented but I am sure you and I will pay more. 

Just to bring you all up to speed – There are a number of taxing entities that your property gets taxed by. The list varies by area of town and ranges from Pima County primary and secondary tax rates, to school districts, to flood districts, to fire departments to library districts to city property tax levies.  Deciphering them is not an easy task.

The amount you owe to any of the above starts with the VALUE of your property. The VALUE is determined by the elected Pima County Assessor. Bill Staples, our elected assessor,  pours over recent sales, market trending and comparable properties to match you properties characteristics to those near you. Once the property VALUE is determined then an ASSESSED VALUE is established. The ASSESSED VALUE is what the government entities use as a base to levy the tax.

Steve Emerine, a former Pima County Assessor and deeply missed voice of reason in our community explained that the ASSESSED VALUE is typically 80% to 100% of actual value. Maricopa County set their assessed value at 82% of actual. According to Steve we were in Pima County hovering at 93% of actual value. So movement on this % of actual has income consequences to the community. The higher ASSESSED VALUE is to ACTUAL VALUE the more money coming into the government coffers.

The other variable that government entities have power over is the property tax rate. The rate is the amount they charge you per amount of assessed value, usually $100 increments. In Pima County the primary assessed property tax rate is $3.31 per $100 value. It happens to be one of the largest in the state but that’s a different story.

So taxing entities get increased revenues at least three ways that I can think of:

1. Real Estate values go up.
2. The difference between ACTUAL VALUE and ASSESSED VALUE gets closer
3. The rate per $100 gets adjusted by voter mandate or elected officials.

Today at the Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting, property tax payments by you and me went up. I’m still not certain what actually happened. From what I’ve heard and read the tax rate is actually going down so that leaves and adjustment between assessed value and actual value.  I’ll do more digging tomorrow to verify.  Anyone out there with some insight it would be appreciated.