Local property taxes...

[Fun CH]

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There are those that get an agriculture or open space exemption. Some do not actually grow a crop but they pay a reduced rate.

land that is in agricultural open space, but is not being used for agricultural purposes and has "high potential" for returning to commercial agricultural uses can remain in agricultural open space according to Washington state law.

Here's the law chapter 84.34, Quote;


"b) Land that is traditional farmland that is not classified under chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW, that has not been irrevocably devoted to a use inconsistent with agricultural uses, and that has a high potential for returning to commercial agriculture."

I checked with the Assessor's Office on this. They only give a two grace period on agricultural open space land that is not being used for agriculture. After two years, the land falls out of Ag open but can be converted to open space land, which still gets a tax break but not quite as much as the agricultural open space category.

The above law applies to land that has the potential for ag use and then can be converted to AG open space when it starts to be used for that purpose.

[Fun CH]

.
There are those that get an agriculture or open space exemption. Some do not actually grow a crop but they pay a reduced rate.

land that is in agricultural open space, but is not being used for agricultural purposes and has "high potential" for returning to commercial agricultural uses can remain in agricultural open space according to Washington state law.

Here's the law chapter 84.34, Quote;


"b) Land that is traditional farmland that is not classified under chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW, that has not been irrevocably devoted to a use inconsistent with agricultural uses, and that has a high potential for returning to commercial agriculture."

[pasayten]

Our acutal taxes we will pay, went up 35% from what we paid last year

Yes, I saw that... Unfortunately, a big part was probably your 18 acres tripled in value from $63K to $197K... Actually reasonable for 18 acres... Looks like they caught up with an under-evaluation on that one. Our 8 acres are assessed at $163K... Up from $110K.

Tough on the yearly budget!

[PAL]

Yes, I saw that BB post and responded. Our taxes went up. Our acutal taxes we will pay, went up 35% from what we paid last year.
I said we won't appeal; doesn't do much good. We have to look at it as paying for services for the Valley. But there has to be a limit at some point.
There are those that get an agriculture or open space exemption. Some do not actually grow a crop but they pay a reduced rate. Sometimes it's a good chunk of reduction. Fir those growers that are in AG status, I can agree with it. They are trying to make a living growing and selling food or feed for the livestock.
We wonder why rents go up. We know why, don't we. The owners of rental units don't make much profit these days.

[mister_coffee]

Yes, my taxes went up 0.6% and 0.3% respectively. Oh, the horror!

[pasayten]

Here is a reasonable and informative response from the methownet bb for those folks that were all upset and gnashing their teeth about the recent increases in their assessed property values in the Methow Valley...

Re: New tax notice
Post by Jessica G » Fri Feb 10, 2023 5:41 pm

My assessed value went up by almost 30% for this year. It was a big jump, but seems fair based on sales in my neighborhood for the past several years (not just during the recent big spike/buying frenzy). I probably wouldn't sell for less. My property taxes went up by just over 3% - around $160.

The county is legally obligated to assess property at its highest and best value. But an increase in value does not necessarily mean a commensurate increase in taxes - there are legal limits on how much total tax revenue collected can increase per year. See the WA Department of Revenue page explaining the one percent property tax levy limit (or you can search for WA Property tax - How the one percent property tax levy limit works):

https://dor.wa.gov/forms-publications/p ... imit-works

In addition to explaining the limit, they have a good example that shows how an individual property's taxes can go up OR down following an increase in valuation, depending on how it changed relative to other properties in the same levy area. They also explain how there are situations where the 1% increase doesn't apply.
Jessica Goldberg