PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County will claim a 1 percent increase in 2016 tax assessments after commissioners said there is a “substantial need” to do so.
The increases were unanimously approved Monday after a public hearing that drew no comment.
The tax impact on the individual property owners cannot be determined at this point, according to county Assessor Jeff Chapman.
To arrive at the levy rate, the assessor divides the requested amount by the district’s total assessed value, Chapman said.
“If all the taxing districts took the one percent and there was no change in assessed value, the total property tax would increase one percent from the previous year,” Chapman said.
Commissioner Phil Johnson said “we need to vote for this because we are in the negative [balance] most of the time.”
The 1 percent limit was mandated by I-747, a 2001 initiative passed by the voters that was deemed unconstituional by the voters but later reinstated by Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Since that time tax levy rates have addressed only the cost of inflation and often fall short of that goal, according to County Administrator Philip Morley.
“This is a small opportunity to pick up some of the ground we’ve lost over the last few years,” Morley said.
Taxing districts have the option to request less than 1 percent or even not request an increase at all, Chapman said.
The 1 percent was assessed in three categories, which required separate resolutions.
In the general fund, the county is requesting $1,586,681, which is an increase of $75,115 from 2015.
The Jefferson County Road Fund will receive $4,241,327, an increase of $41,993.
The Conservation Futures Fund will receive $222,026, up $2,198 from 2015.
Additionally, a second resolution for each category was approved.
It said that the county “has reviewed all sources of revenue and examined all anticipated expenses and obligations,” and has a “substantial need” to assess the full 1 percent.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
