PORT TOWNSEND — When the Jefferson County assessor sent out property revaluation notices this week, it was the first time the county has issued them to all property owners.
In the past, notices were issued to areas of the county on a staggered four-year schedule.
Now all property owners will receive notices each year.
“Starting this year, revaluation of all properties will be an annual event rather than every four years,” said Assessor Jeff Chapman.
“This means that in any given year, the taxable value may rise or fall as the market fluctuates and as property characteristics change.”
Notices went out Monday to 24,380 residential property owners. Chapman expects that many will have received them by now.
Port Townsend and Port Ludlow each saw values increase 15 percent while Chimacum increased 7 percent and the unincorporated Quimper Peninsula increased 10 percent, according to Chapman.
Brinnon values decreased 3 percent and Quilcene values fell 1 percent, Chapman said.
By law, government entities can raise property taxes only 1 percent per year with a vote of the people.
An increase in property values is reflected in a decrease in levy rates, Chapman said.
For that reason, many property owners will see their taxes remain at the same level or even decrease, he said.
Washington state now requires counties to send out annual revaluation notices, a process that is made possible by new software.
The new program allows assessors to get more work done using the same number of appraisers, Chapman said.
Under the old system, the county was divided into four regions: Port Townsend, Brinnon/Quilcene, Port Ludlow and the unincorporated part of the Quimper Peninsula that contains Chimacum, Port Hadlock and Cape George.
Each area was physically inspected every four years.
That provided the data for the revaluation that was in place for four years.
The new system configures six regions: Port Townsend, Brinnon, Quilcene, Gardiner, Port Ludlow and unincorporated Quimper Peninsula.
Physical inspections will be conducted every six years, but the valuation will be computed yearly using real estate data that demonstrate the gap between the assessed value and the sale price.
Chapman said the yearly valuation will protect the property owner against economic fluctuations.
Port Townsend was revalued in 2009 prior to the recession, so property owners were paying taxes linked to amounts higher than the market value.
Once the annual process kicks in, taxes will be closer to the market value, which will benefit the property owner, Chapman said.
Upon receiving the new valuation notice, a property owner has 30 days to discuss the amount with an appraiser.
If the property owner remains dissatisfied with the assessment and a consensus cannot be reached, the taxpayer can file an appeal with the county’s Board of Equalization.
The board’s finding can result in a revised 2015 tax statement if the decision is made after tax bills are mailed.
The Clallam County Assessor’s Office mailed property valuations Oct. 31, county Assessor Pam Rushton said.
Clallam County has been sending annual valuations to all property owners since 2009.
“We switched over to new software, and the market was changing so drastically in those years, we started sending them out every year,” Rushton said.
Prior to 2009, valuations were sent to Clallam County residents who had changes in their property value.
Clallam County property owners who have not received a property valuation should confirm their mailing address on the Assessor’s Office website at www.clallam.net/assessor.
Jefferson County property owners who have questions about the process can reach the Assessor’s Office by phoning 360-385-9105; by mail at P.O. Box 1220, Port Townsend, WA 98368; or in person at the Jefferson County Courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
Reporter Rob Ollikainen contributed to this report.
