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Amount
Saved with Senior/Disabled Exemption
The
calculation of the amount of additional tax that
would have been paid if the property did not
benefit from the senior/disabled exemption.
Assessed
Value
The
county assessor’s determination of property
value used as the basis for taxation.
Assessments
A
charge or obligation imposed by a government
upon property specifically benefiting from a
local district activity.
Conservation
District
Except
for forest lands, an assessment on all parcels
in the county to support the education,
technical and financial assistance on local
natural resource issues provided by the Thurston
Conservation District.
Drainage
Districts
There
are several small districts within the county
that are formed to deal with flood control,
diking, drainage and related water conditions.
Each districts assesses only parcels
within their boundaries.
Noxious
Weed Control
An
assessment against most property in the county
designed to raise funds to protect all lands of
the county from the degrading impact of exotic,
invasive weeds.
State
Forest Fire
A
state-wide assessment on all unimproved acreage.
The assessment is administered by the
Department of Natural Resources and the funds are used in
support of forest fire protection on 12 million
acres of private and state owned forest land.
Stormwater
The
county storm and surface water utility assesses
property in the utility boundaries and uses the
funds to insure safety of roads, minimize water
quality degradation and property damage, protect
the public health and foster other beneficial
public uses.
Delinquencies
Taxes
and/or assessments that are not paid by the due
date.
Distraint
Seizure
and detention of property for the purpose of
obtaining payment of outstanding property tax
obligations.
Exemptions
All
property is subject to taxation, unless
specifically exempted under state law.
Exemptions exist for nonprofit
organizations, senior citizens, heads of
household (personal property only), historical
property and the remodel exemption.
First
Half Payment
One
half of taxes, $50 or greater, due on April 30th.
Interest
A
1% per month charge against the full tax amount
outstanding that continues to accrue until paid.
The interest is not pro-rated nor subject
to compounding.
Non-Voter
Approved Tax
Any
levy authorized to be collected by state statute
and imposed by the elected officials of the
district or the state.
Property
#
An
11 digit number used by the assessor to identify
units of property.
The 11 digit number represents a code
that is shorthand for the physical location of
the property.
See the county assessor’s web site for
an explanation of this code.
Penalty
An
amount, in addition to interest, collected on
current year delinquent taxes.
The penalty is 3% added on June 1st
and another 8% added on December 1st.
Penalty applies only to current year past
due taxes.
Personal
Property
Mobile
property including most machinery, equipment,
furniture and fixtures associated with
commercial, industrial or agricultural
enterprises.
Business inventories are exempt from
property tax.
Mobile homes on leased land are personal
property.
Personal
Property Advance Tax
Payment
of taxes due but not yet billed.
Personal
property taxes are due by the person owning the
property as of January 1 of the assessment year.
This is the year prior
to billing.
The tax is due even if the business
closes or the property is sold or transferred.
The lien follows the property so the
property can be subject to distraint even if it
is under new ownership.
The treasurer may also require advance
payment of personal property taxes if the
property is sold or transferred.
Personal
Property Late Filing Fee
A
penalty charged against personal property
accounts for failing to return property
inventory listings as prescribed by law.
Real
Property
Land
and any improvements, such as buildings,
structures or mobile homes attached to the land.
Second
Half Payment
One
half of taxes, $50 or greater, due on October 31st.
Situs
Address
The
physical location of the property.
Tax
Code Area (TCA)
A
3 digit number representing a unique combination
of all the taxing jurisdictions who include the
property in their district.
Each property has a TCA assigned to it.
There are about 80 TCAs in Thurston
County.
An
example:
TCA
110 means the parcel is located in (and pays
taxes to) the following districts:
Olympia
School District, City of Olympia, Port of
Olympia, Medic One, Timberland Library, Thurston
County, State of Washington, Public Utility
District.
Tax
Rate
The
combination of taxes levied by all taxing
districts that cover a particular property
The
tax rate is expressed in dollars per thousand of
assessed value.
Personal property and real property are
taxed at the same rate.
Voter
Approved Tax
Any
levy specifically approved by a majority of
voters within a taxing district.
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