Feb. 29, 2008
New King County notices show homeowners where their property taxes are going
This month King County taxpayers will discover something new in their mailbox: informational, itemized property tax notices. Different than property tax statements, these notices will be mailed starting in mid-March to over 311,000 taxpayers whose taxes are paid by their mortgage company.
The notice will show the current tax distribution, current year information and property legal description, along with and explanation of where tax dollars are distributed for school districts, city, county, unincorporated roads, Port of Seattle, fire districts, sewer and/or water districts, library districts, emergency medical services, ferry district, flood control zone. Non-tax charges will also be included for Seattle drainage charge, surface water management, King Conservation District, noxious weed and fire protection, as appropriate. Additional information and telephone numbers are provided on the back of each notice.
At the request of Councilmember Reagan Dunn, in July 2007, the King County Council enacted legislation to mail informational real estate property tax notices to taxpayers who do not receive property tax statements because their taxes are paid by their mortgage company.
King County Executive Ron Sims hopes citizens will appreciate this notification, saying "Property taxes are responsible for so many of the excellent services that King County and other local taxing districts offer. It is important that those paying property taxes through their mortgage company understand how their tax dollars are put to work."
Unlike property tax statements, the notices will be clearly marked as "Not A Tax Bill" and "For Information Only" and do not have tear-off payment coupons.
The notices should start arriving in mailboxes in about three weeks.