Phoenix – At the same time taxpayers are struggling to pay their bills, all across Arizona, Boards of Supervisors are preparing for “Truth-In-Taxation” hearings. Those hearings are required by law when officials intend to raise taxes or when they pass budgets that result in tax hikes.
On Wednesday, Rodney Glassman, Republican candidate for Maricopa County Assessor, called on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to lower the Primary Tax Rate ahead of their “Truth-In-Taxation” hearing scheduled to take place June 22, 2020.
With the new, increased assessments of property values from the appointed Interim County Assessor, the Board of Supervisors are poised to pass a budget that raises taxes on everyone in Maricopa County.
Glassman joins a short list of public officials who recognize the hardships faced by taxpayers and the need to keep taxes as low as possible at this time. Last year, Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller, a Republican, and Pima County Assessor Bill Staples, a Democrat, urged supervisors to pass budget neutral tax rates in order to provide relief to the residents of the highest taxed county in Arizona. Their pleas were ignored.
This year, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry is using Maricopa County’s proposed tax increase as justification for his tax increase.
While taxpayers in both counties may see a lower tax rate, the increase in property valuations seen this year will result in higher taxes for property owners.
“In February, the appointed County Assessor sent a postcard to more than 1.5 million property owners increasing their assessed property values — which raises our tax bill if the Supervisors do not lower the rate. In these difficult economic times, they should be cutting the tax rate so that no one is paying higher taxes,” explained Glassman.
“Taxpayers deserve a County Assessor with a background in real estate and law and the courage to demand that when the values go up, the tax rates go down. We can’t control the growth of government if these tax increases are simply rubber stamped.” said Glassman.
Excerpt From Truth in Taxation Hearing- County (primary tax)
In compliance with section 42-17107, Arizona Revised Statutes, Maricopa County is notifying its property taxpayers of Maricopa County’s intention to raise its primary property taxes over last year’s level. Maricopa County is proposing an increase in primary property taxes of $18,565,283 or 3.1%.
Glassman cites as an example, the fact that the “proposed tax increase will cause Maricopa County’s primary property taxes on a $100,000 home to be $140.09. Without the proposed tax increase, the total taxes that would be owed on a $100,000 home would have been $135.92. This proposed increase is exclusive of increased primary property taxes received from new construction. The increase is also exclusive of any changes that may occur from property tax levies for voter approved bonded indebtedness or budget and tax overrides.”
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