A message from County Assessor Dave Mattens

This has been another year of making significant strides in catching up on the property tax schedule. I am mailing the 2009 Change of Value Notices this year on June 1. This is 25 days earlier than last year and months earlier than in years past. Like before, this accomplishment is due to the commitment and professional pride every staff member in my office holds.

There are a number of items I want to share with property owners that relate to this year's Change of Value Notices: 1) there will be a 30-day appeal period; 2) property owners with any new construction or open permits should not receive a "Notice" (with few exceptions) until late August; 3) a reminder that our office hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 4) effective June 1, another 7 percent staffing reduction goes into effect plus furloughs for two staff managers; 5) some areas will see significant increase (yes, despite the perception people have about the housing market here in Island County) because of equalizing areas; and 6) unincorporated improved property owners will be receiving an additional notice from the Health Department.

Let me expand on these six items.

This past February, I sent a news release announcing restoring a 30-day appeal period. In that article, I explained why the appeal period changed to 60 days and why it didn't work to reduce the workload in the assessor's office. It actually ended up extending the workload, not reducing it.

The important things to know about appeals are that there are two forms to file. Form "A" needs to be filed within the 30-day appeal period. This requires five pieces of information: name, address, reason for appealing, what your estimate of value is, and a signature — that's it.

Then, Form "B" needs to be filed, which is your defense of estimated value. You have up to seven working days prior to your scheduled hearing to file this form.

The second item deals with reducing the confusion for property owners that have new construction or open permits. Last year, folks with new construction received two notices — one in June and another in September. This affects a much smaller population of people. I estimate 2,400 new construction permits this year compared to 3,400 last year.

Next, I want to remind citizens that public office hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will allow my appraisers to answer messages and return calls in the early morning and late afternoon, while visiting with taxpayers during the middle of the day.

Four, please try to have patience with our reduced staffing. Coincident with mailing notices on June 1, the additional 7 percent reduction in staffing becomes effective. This is in addition to the 10 percent reduction my office experienced earlier this year.

Some areas will experience significant increases in real property value due to equalizing areas. Every year some property values increase while others decrease. My ultimate goal is to treat everyone fairly and equitably. To do so, appraisers must take the steps necessary to ensure that any inequities they discover are addressed and remedied.

Finally, all owners of unincorporated, improved property, i.e., outside of city limits or for property with a home on it (not vacant), will receive a newsletter from the Health Department regarding septic system inspections. By allowing the Health Department to piggy-back on the assessor's mass mailing, I was able to save the county over $10,000 in postage expenses. This decision was a result of "thinking outside the box" in ways we can save money in these difficult economic times.

Preliminary calculations show an overall decrease in real property value of approximately 3.7 percent for the 2009 assessment year. Last year the average increase was about 4.8 percent and 15 percent in 2007. These numbers conform to the general market downturn, bearing in mind that housing markets are always local.