Revaluation Notices Reveal New Property Values for 2016 Tax Year
Lewis County Assessor, Dianne Dorey, announced
approximately 16,400 revaluation notices for assessment year 2015 for taxes
owed in 2016 have been mailed. The value
changes show a 5% increase over the previous year due to the annual revaluation
cycle.
The
Washington State Constitution requires all parcels be valued at 100% of market
value. In 2009, the Legislature passed a
law requiring all counties to value property annually by the year 2014. This means 1/6 of the county will continue to be
physically inspected each year and the other 5/6 of the county will be
statistically updated in the same year.
Lewis County converted to the annual revaluation cycle in 2011 for taxes
owed in 2012. The 2015 physical
inspections have been completed in the Morton White Pass, Mossyrock, and
Eatonville School Districts.
Dorey
states, “Market analysis is a key component in appraising property equally and
fairly for taxation. The market in Lewis
County mostly increased for the 2016 tax year.”
Values in the White Pass, Mossyrock, and Eatonville districts averaged a
5% increase. Some areas in a school district might show decreases while
other areas may increase. This is
because the sales in a particular area have determined whether the values have
increased or decreased in a like neighborhood.
New
construction and revaluation notices were mailed at the same time.
“Lewis
County Appraisers are easily identifiable; they drive a marked county vehicle
and wear a green or orange uniform shirt under their orange safety vest. If you have any questions about someone being
on your property, please ask to see identification and a business card
(Appraisers carry both) or call my office at 360-740-1392,” stated Dorey.
The assessed
values for 2016 tax year appear on PARCELS on the Lewis County website at www.lewiscountywa.gov.
To
appeal values, property owners have until February 8, 2016 to submit a petition
to the Board of Equalization (BOE). Property
owners that did not have a change in value are still eligible to appeal. To save time and resources for both the
property owner and the county, property owners are encouraged to speak with an
Appraiser at the Lewis County Assessor’s Office prior to filing a BOE petition.
If you
need more information, please contact the Lewis County Assessor’s Office at
(360) 740-1392.