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Home My WebLink About2004-2005 Statement InsertDeschutes County 2004-2005 TAX YEAR Our new address is: 1300 NW Wall St., Suite 200, Bend OR 97701 The following County offices relocated to the second floor of the new Deschutes Services Center in June of this year: Assessor's Office Tax Office County Clerk Personnel Board of County Commissioners Finance Legal Counsel Administrative Services Assessment or valuation inquiries: Telephone: 541-388-6508 E-mail: assessor@deschutes.org Tax inquiries: Telephone: 541-388-6540 E-mail: taxoffice@deschutes.org Veterans who are 40% or more disabled and surviving spouses of honorably discharged veterans who have not remarried, may be entitled to a reduc- tion in their property taxes. Please contact the Assessor’s Office for more information at 541-388-6508. ADDRESS CORRECTIONS If your mailing address is dif- ferent than the address used on your tax statement, please in- dicate the change on the return address portion of your pay- ment envelope, or notify the tax office in writing. Redmond Area The City of Redmond levied a tax rate of $6.0643, $0.10 less than its $6.1643 permanent rate authority (this is the same rate levied last year). The City of Redmond Airport Urban Renewal Plan Area will not be levying its special levy this year (last year the rate was $0.2848). The City of Redmond Downtown Urban Renewal Plan Area is levying only a portion of its full authority which will result in a lower special levy rate (approximately a 25% reduction). The voters in the Redmond School District passed a new 21-year bond in the amount of $36.6 million. Bend Beginning this year, the City of Bend will be including delinquent sewer charges on property tax bills. Sisters This is the first year of the Sisters Urban Renewal District. A portion of your tax is allocated to this new district from other existing districts. The new Urban Renewal District did not affect your total tax for 2004- 2005. South County La Pine RFPD has a new 10-year voter-approved bond of $1.5 million. Sunriver Service District levied a tax rate of $2.91, of its $3.45 perma- nent rate authority (up from last year's $2.89). Countywide Voters approved a new 3-year Sheriff Local Option Levy, replacing the expiring levy. The new rates are $1.60 for rural properties and $0.82 for urban properties (last year's rates were $1.12 rural and $0.78 urban). VETERANS ‘ EXEMPTIONS TAX AND ASSESSMENT INFORMATION November 15 Due Date! Full payments made by November 15 will receive a 3% discount. Payments of at least two-thirds, but less than full payment will receive a 2% discount of the amount paid. A minimum one-third payment must be made by November 15 to avoid interest charges. According to State law, the interest rate on delinquent taxes is 1.33% per month, accruing on the 16th of each month. For those making less than full payments, the second payment will be due February 15, 2005 and the final payment will be due May 16, 2005. Please refer to your statement for pay- ment options. The tax office will mail reminder notices to taxpayers owing taxes on these dates. We Cannot Accept Debit or Credit Cards. Please note that, for a variety of legal reasons, the State of Oregon does not permit us to accept debit or credit cards in payment of property taxes. Changes Affecting Your 2004-05 Tax Statement Is your Statement Green or Yellow?? Green: A Green statement is a tax bill that you are re- sponsible for paying. Yellow: A Yellow statement is your copy of a tax bill that has been forwarded to your mortgage company for payment. If you believe that you received the wrong color state- ment, or that the mortgage information listed on a yellow statement is in error, please contact your mortgage com- pany, or the Deschutes County Tax Office. We Have Moved to the New Deschutes Services Center We hope this flyer will help you better understand the information included in your tax statement. We would appreciate any suggestions you may have for improving our communications regarding property tax issues, terminology and the property tax assessment and collection process. Please contact our offices at the telephone numbers listed above. In Oregon, property taxes are collected by each County and distributed to each taxing district (schools, cities, county agencies, fire districts, road districts, etc.). Your property tax is based on two factors: 1) the assessed value of your property and 2) the tax rates and amounts levied by taxing districts in which your property is located. Generally, the increase in your assessed value is limited by Measure 50 to 3% unless there have been changes made to your property, such as new construction or a partition. The Assessor compares the Real Market Value (how much your property is worth, as determined by the Assessor, as of January 1 each year) to the Maximum Assessed Value (the 1995 value reduced by ten percent, plus changes that were made to your property, increased by 3% each year after 1997). The lower of these two values is your Assessed Value. However, your taxes may have increased by more than 3% due to voter-approved ballot measures. In addition, taxes may also increase or decrease due to other changes, such as the amount a district needs to pay for voter-approved bonded debt, or property annexations. For valuation questions, exemption and deferral information, please contact the Assessor’s Office: 541-388-6508 For tax payment and collection issues, please contact the Tax Office: 541-388-6540 If you will be 62 or older by April 15, 2005, you may be eligible to participate in the State of Oregon Senior Deferral Program for the Tax year 2005-2006 (next year). There is an income limitation to qualify and applications must be delivered to the Assessor’s Office by April 15, 2005. If you are receiving Federal Social Security disability and are under age 62, you may qualify for the Disabled Citizen deferral program. There is an income limitation to qualify and applications must be delivered to the Assessor’s Office by April 15, 2005, for the 2005-06 tax year (next year). Under these programs the State of Oregon pays the taxes for you and charges simple interest, at 6%. These amounts are deferred and payable upon any change in property ownership. Appealing Your Value Senior and Disabled Citizen Programs HOW TAXES ARE CALCULATED You may appeal your value for the 2004-05 tax year with the Board of Property Tax Appeals. Your petition must be postmarked or delivered to the County Clerk located at 1300 NW Wall, Suite 200, on or before December 31, 2004. For additional information on the appeal process call the County Clerk’s office at 388-6549. YOUR PROPERTY TAX STATEMENT The property tax statement enclosed is your value notice and property tax bill. It shows taxes imposed for the current tax year, July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. In addition, the bill may include other taxes, fees, charges or assessments depending on the districts providing services to your property. Three Ways of Paying Your Taxes 1. Tax payments must be delivered or postmarked on or before November 15, 2004. The U.S. Postal Service post- mark is the date the payment will be considered received, as mandated by State statute. Some postal facilities forward their mail to a larger Postal Center for postmarking. This may delay the actual date your payment is postmarked and jeopardize a significant discount on your taxes. Please take appropriate steps to insure your payment is postmarked on or before November 15, 2004. 2. If you live within Deschutes County, your tax bill is accom- panied by an insert that lists the banks within Deschutes County where you may pay your taxes through November 15, 2004. 3. You may also pay your taxes at the Deschutes County Tax Office, 1300 NW Wall Street in Bend. Our office is on the top floor of the new Deschutes Services Center. There is an after hours drop box located at the East entrance of the County's new offices (1300 NW Wall St.). Internet Access! Your property and tax information can be obtained at: www.deschutes.org Select “DIAL - Assessor Property Information” under Quick Links.