Whatcom County Annual Property Revaluation Plan Conversion

 Whatcom County:The 2009 Washington State Legislature has passed, and Governor Gregoire has signed effective July 26, 2009, Substitute Senate Bill 5368, requiring every County Assessor’s Office to adopt annual property revaluation programs by 2014. With the scheduled replacement of the 26 year old  Assessor’s-Treasurer’s computer administrative system, the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office will not delay this important transition to annual property valuations.

The Whatcom County Assessor’s Office has received approval for its new annual property revaluation plan proposal from the Washington State Department of Revenue per RCW 84.41.041. The Assessor’s Office is completing its last year of a previously approved four year revaluation plan in the 2009 assessment year.  Under the new plan, the Assessor’s Office will transition to yearly valuations for all properties with a new six year plan beginning in October to effect the 2010 assessment year for property taxes payable in 2011. Whatcom County will join its neighbor counties and the state majority as the 20th of 39 counties to administrate annual revaluations of property.
   
     Whatcom County Assessor Keith Willnauer has advocated for yearly valuations continuously since submitting his first proposal to the County Executive and Council in 1993. Annual revaluation of property represents the professionally recognized highest quality and most efficient assessment administration. Critically important administrative conditions are currently, and have at last, aligned in the most positive context to support this essential transition.

    The advantages of yearly changes to assessed valuations for all properties are numerous:
1. All property valuations will stay aligned with current real estate market activity and most importantly with our current downward market trend.
2. Superior predictability will result with the historically experienced 4-year spikes in valuation and property tax changes no longer occurring.
3. Cross-county disproportionate and unfairly weighted property values will not exist. Individual property tax burden distributions will be uniform for all properties.
3. Yearly changes in property tax bills will more accurately reflect the direct impacts from government budget and spending changes without transparency puzzling interference from non-uniform cross-county assessed valuation issues.
4. Property owners will effectively address assessed valuation concerns within a clearly defined reference to current market value and the relationships of values of all other properties.
5. Experiences from annual revaluation operations in similarly sized Washington counties indicate a resultant eventual departmental reduction in operating expenses once post transition stability has been achieved. 

    The Assessor’s Office will continue to physically inspect approximately 18,000 properties a year in a six-year property inspection cycle as required by law. New construction will also continue to be added to the rolls annually.
   For more information call. 676-6790 or visit the Assessor's web site at www.whatcomcounty.us.Whatcom County Assessor’s Office
Annual Real Property Revaluation-Assessment Plan

Questions and Answers

Q. Why change from the current plan?
Answer:  The State of Washington has passed a law requiring all County offices to transition to annual revaluation programs by 2014, (SSB 5368). The law includes state directed grant funding to support system transition cost.

Q. Has the Assessor’s Office been working towards this goal?
Answer:  The improvements to property tax administration are substantial. The Assessor has advocated for yearly valuations continuously since submitting the first proposal to the County Executive and Council in 1993. Annual revaluation of property represents the industry recognized highest quality and most efficient assessment administration. This office has worked persistently to enhance the technology, to accumulate and verify property data, to promote training, and to add to the personnel expertise required to ready for this transition.

Q. How will an annual valuation program function?
Answer:  The new program will begin with the 2010 valuation year, and will effect valuations for property taxes due in 2011. The County’s parcels will be split into six revaluation areas. Every year, one-sixth of the county’s real property parcels, (about 18,000), will be physically inspected and revalued in an on-going cyclic six year program. The remaining five-sixths of parcels (about 92,000) will be eligible for statistical adjustments. All the current laws directing valuation definitions will continue to be in effect. Current market value indications will be derived primarily from analysis of recent comparable market sales. Sales analysis will direct adjustments throughout classifications of properties by type and specific neighborhood market defined areas. Every property will be statistically reviewed every year. New construction, destroyed property, land use impacts, and all other statutorily required valuation adjustment considerations, will continue to be administrated annually as well.

Q. Will Whatcom County generate more property tax revenue from annual revaluations?
Answer:  Absolutely and emphatically not. Washington has a budget based property tax system. Revenues are set, determined, and increased in only two ways. New or additional dollars are directed by voters, or, budget increases limited to 1% are passed by resolution or ordinance after public hearing by taxing district legislative authorities (i.e. Commissioners or County/City Councils).

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