Despite dropping home values, property tax rates are on the rise in Issaquah and Sammamish, partly because of the voter-approved school levies.
Over half of the property taxes collected in King County this year will go directly to schools.
“Taxpayers may be wondering how their property values can go down, but their property taxes go up. I know this seems counter-intuitive,” said King County Assessor Lloyd Hara in a press release. “Several factors can cause this to happen. The most common is that voters in their area have approved a property tax measure, typically a school levy.”
Voters in the Issaquah School District, which includes parts of Sammamish, passed three levies in February – capital projects, transportation and operation maintenance.
The average home in the two cities saw an increase, but it wasn’t the case for outlying areas in the district. So while the average Issaquah and Sammamish homeowners are paying more, the district expects to collect about $800,000 less than last year.
“Their tax bills are increasing, because their house is worth more relative to everyone else’s home,” said district spokesperson Sara Niegowski in an e-mail.
Information from the assessor’s office paints a picture of what residents are paying and what their homes are worth.
The average Issaquah homeowner paid about $1,000 fewer taxes than Sammamish homeowners. This was because tax rates are higher in Sammamish, and the average home is also worth more.
Issaquah’s average home was assessed at about $503,700, whereas Sammamish was much higher, $549,800.
“I have directed my staff to take a reasonable and conservative approach to property valuations in recognition of the impact of foreclosures,” Hara said.
On average Issaquah and Sammamish homes jumped about $10,000 in value in 2011.
King County saw a 3.38 percent drop in total assessed property value in 2010, which is less than the 11.6 percent drop in 2009.
King County as a whole saw a 3.3 percent increase in property taxes. Only about 18 percent of the money collected goes to the county government.
The county makes it easy to pay taxes. The Sammamish Community Service Center takes cash, checks and credit, or pay online, www.kingcounty.gov/propertytax.
