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The Assessing Department is
required to annually assess all real and personal property
located within the City, not exempt by law, for the
imposition and collection of property taxes. The state
constitution and state statutes require that,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the assessed
values placed upon the assessment roll shall be at fifty
percent (50%) of true cash value.
Proposal A, passed by the voters
March 15, 1994, places limits on the value used to compute
property taxes. Starting in 1995, property taxes were
calculated using “taxable” value which is limited or
“capped” in the amount it can increase each year. The
taxable value of a property can only increase each year by
the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%, whichever is less,
until the year after a property transfers ownership or
unless there has been a physical change to the property. If
a property has had a transfer of ownership, the Taxable
Value is “uncapped” and will be raised to match the Assessed
Value in the year immediately following the transfer of
ownership. Prior to the adoption of Proposal A, property
taxes were calculated by multiplying the State Equalized
Value (SEV) by the millage rates.
The Assessing Department serves
as a source of information to the public by maintaining data
on each parcel of property located within the City. Data
available includes taxpayer of record information, lot size,
physical improvements to the land, property descriptions,
sales data, drawings and maps. An additional function of
the Assessing Department is to record, maintain and edit the
status of each parcel in the City to determine whether it
qualifies for a “principal residence” exemption from the 18
mills of school operating tax. To be eligible for the
“principal residence” exemption, you must own and occupy the
home as your principal residence as of May 1st of
the current year and have filed a valid Homeowner’s
Principal Residence Exemption affidavit with the Assessor’s
Office.
The Board of Review convenes on
the second and fourth Monday in March of each year to hear
the complaints of all persons considering themselves
aggrieved by their assessments and to consider poverty
exemptions. The March Board of Review is the only
opportunity to appeal the assessed value and/or the
tentative taxable value. General Property Tax Law also
provides for a special meeting of the Board of Review to be
held on specific days in July (Tuesday following the 3rd
Monday) and December (Tuesday following the 2nd
Monday) for the purpose of correcting clerical errors or
mutual mistakes, to grant principal residence exemptions,
and to consider poverty exemptions.
For general
assessing information please click on the link below:
ASSESSOR’S OFFICE –
Frequently Asked Questions
For information on commonly
requested forms click on the links below:
Homeowner’s Principal Residence Exemption Affidavit
(Formerly: Homestead Exemption Affidavit)
Request to Rescind Homeowner’s Principle Residence Exemption
(Formerly: Request to Rescind/Withdraw Homestead Exemption)
Property Transfer Affidavit
Personal Property Statement |
