ST. GEORGE — Many Washington County residents saw their property taxes jump significantly this year due to various factors. However, while there may be an avenue of relief for residents who believe the county has over-assessed the value of their homes, the clock is ticking.
Washington County residents have until Sept. 15 to appeal the assessed value of their homes if they haven’t done so already.
Protests over the taxable value of a property can be brought before the county’s Board of Equalization but typically only between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15. The taxable value of the property can also only be protested for that particular year.
This year many Washington County homeowners saw their property taxes jump 15-30%. This was primarily due to an overall jump in property values over last year – up nearly 30% – and the State Education Fund.
Combined, the increasing home values and school fund created a “perfect storm” that slammed into home-owning taxpayers, Washington County Assessor Tom Durrant previously told St. George News.
St. George News previously covered the factors behind this year’s “substantial” property tax increase. That story can be found here.
How to appeal a property’s assessed value
Homeowners who find the market value assigned to their property to be in error can appeal it through the county’s Board of Equalization.
Applications for appeal and associated information can be found on the Washington County website.
Documentation recommended for the appeal includes the settlement document, at least three documents detailing the sale of comparable properties and an appraisal.
“This is a great opportunity to get things right,” Durrant said of the appeal process.
The applicable documents and related items are reviewed by the Board of Equalization for the granting or denial of the plea.
If the property owner does not agree with the board’s assessment, the decision can be appealed to the Utah Tax Commission.
The Washington County Assessor’s Office is located at 87 N. 200 East Suite 201 in St. George and can be contacted at 435-634-5703.
Primary residential exemption
If they haven’t applied for it already, homeowners can apply for a primary residential exemption, which allows a home that sits on up to an acre of land to be assessed at 55% of its taxable value.
As the exemption must be applied for, realtors often include the application with paperwork associated with a home purchase.
Other tax abatement and relief programs
A number of tax abatement programs and exemptions are listed on the Washington County website for those who qualify.
Among these programs is one focused on disabled veterans and deployed military personnel, individuals who are legally blind, mobile home owners and the county residents who are widowed (regardless of age) or are 65 and over who are considered low income or match a number of other factors that qualify them for tax relief.
However, the majority of these programs require applications be filed before Sept. 1.
Ed. note: Some elements of this article are from a 2019 article covering the county’s property tax appeal process.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.