Tax Values

Before the fireLAND TAX VALUES

Does your burnt-out vacant land have the same tax value as a same-sized parcel that was not destroyed in the Oregon Road wildfire? They are being taxed at the same rates.

LandValueBurnt with info about this to take with you to the TOWN HALL MEETING ON TUESDAY, NOV 28th at 6pm.  The Country Church of the Open Bible.

After the fire

The Spokane County Assessor’s Office says, there will be no adjustments to lower tax rates for parcels in the wildfires.
Can we sell the “before” property for the same price as the “after” property?

NOT LIKELY!

There will be years of backbreaking physical labor needed to replant enough to restore the beauty of our forest lands destroyed in Elk. Not many buyers will sign up for this kind of job. Selling for a full-value purchase price is really not likely for the properties that are burned out. Our taxes on the land should reflect the “true and fair market value” accordingly. Our taxes should be reduced as we have to work to restore the forest over the next 3 years.

Spokane Tax Assessors

Appraiser Humor
The cartoon above was found on Tom Konis’ FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/tom.konis). A prime example of Appraiser humor.

Tax Budget Mysteries

Spokane Tax Assessors (Tom Konis) had this cartoon on his FaceBook page. Revealing?

Did you know that the Assessor’s Office is given a total dollar amount to generate for each fiscal year? Who it is, that gives Spokane County this number to collect, has not yet been discovered. That is just another topic that this FreedomPod in NE Washington needs to do a search and rescue research mission and then broadcast for you.

 

Spoco Percentage Tax Increase 22-23

“Fair market values” are then set, by using percentage amounts across different regions of the County and basically dividing up portions of the pot between citizens that live there. Above is an image displaying the regional percentage divisions that tax rates will increase next year. Check how much more you will pay next year. The Spokane County Assessor’s Office’s basis for calculating a property’s “fair market value” is that they must generate this total dollar value.

We live in Elk, Washington and the percentage of increase will be 27.98% in this region, our taxes will be going up an additional 27.98% next year. Hmmm. In the past 3 years, they have escalated 100% already, doubling. Now, I can look forward to another 1/3’rd raise even if the housing market dives. Hmmm.

Want Change?

The entire process that figures out how much to assess and where to spend our property tax dollars has very little voter involvement at this time. This is really not good. For things to improve, as taxpayers, we need to become aware of and be active participants in what is going on.

These decision-makers have no one holding them accountable for unreasonable decisions that affect our lives.

We must educate ourselves to stop this. Am I willing to take what steps are necessary to pay attention to and counter unreasonable tax levies? YES. We will share what is found on this blog. We will also begin recruiting others interested in making a positive change.

Remember! If our elected officials are not voted back into office they can not continue to impose unwarranted taxes on us. Organizing and voting is the most important citizen action we can take. BTW, Tom Konis got back into office running unopposed. What a shame. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone who is a working-class citizen in this position instead of a Realtor? See, Conflict of Interest here.

 

Conflict-of-Interest

Conflict-of-Interest?

Does this situation seem like a Tax Assessor Conflict-Of-Interest to you? We pay the Board members (Realtors) to work in a government setting where they are in charge of setting the values and making the rules for taxes on the real estate that they can sell. The Board Members of the Spokane Tax Assessors Office are Realtors & Realty Brokers except for one who is a Lawyer specializing in Real Estate Law.  I did not make this up! It is information buried in the Washington, Spokane County website (see links below). You just have to be willing to go on a search and rescue mission to locate it.

Meet the Board Members

How Much Money?

Let’s see, 6% of $250k equals a commission of $15k in commission,
but that same 6% on a $450k valued home sale comes to $27k in commission,
and that same 6% on a $650k valued home sale comes to $39k in commission.Realtor Commissions

With property values escalating so quickly, many may be unable to cover the increased cost of taxes. It is likely that they will lose their homes. A forced sale of your home to cover taxes is not a happy event in anyone’s life. Then, having to move somewhere else in this “housing-shortage” market, is a sentence to start over in a rental for most displaced homeowners. Taxpayer resentment after losing all those years of work to have their own home is not easily forgotten.

A tyrannical government sets paths to focus on low-income, fixed-income, and/or the elderly. Taxpayers’ non-involvement could very likely allow more to fall prey to this crooked setup. Losing a home at any stage of life due to out-of-control government greed is an atrocity. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Assessor’s Board Members

 Tom KONISTom Konis, Spokane Tax Collector is on Facebook.

Meet the Assessor’s Board Members

Did you know that the Board Members of the Spokane Tax Assessor are Realtors/and or/Brokers except for one who is a Lawyer specializing in Real Estate? Does this look like a Conflict-Of-Interest to you? We have Realtors appraising the value of our property at inflated values that in turn will create an increase in the amount of their commission when they sell your place. Sounds like insider trading to me.

Spokane County Tax Assessor

Tom Konis Tax AssessorVoter's Pamphlet The Spokane County Tax Assessor is Tom Konis. It was surprising to find that Konis is listed in our Voter’s Pamphlet as running Unopposed. Is this a good idea for a man who has made over 1-1/2 million dollars in this assessor’s office all ready to be handed the position for the next 4 years without any effort having to be put forth?

He was an appraiser since 1993 (26 years), assessing residential property values in Spokane County. A residential appraiser for 26 years, at $50,884.08 works out to wages in the neighborhood of $1,322,986.08. For 3 years he has been the Spokane County Assessor at a wage of $114,351.57 so, Tom Konis has received a total of $343,054.71 so far in that position. We should get someone to be a write-in candidate to at least make the election have some semblance of fairness.

Wages for our elected officials are listed here.

 

Property Tax Information

Taxpayer Town MeetingProperty Tax Information

The Spokane County Assessor Website

are Application Forms
  • 2022 Application Packet
  • 2021 Exemption Brochure
  • Proof of Disability Statement
  • Declaration of Trust
  • Income Threshold for 2019_Prior, and 2020-2024

Tax Law Information:

WA State Legislator, RCWs > Title 84 > Chapter 84.36 > Section 84.36.383 ,

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=84.36.383

The Social Security Act, Sections 223(d)(2)(A), Disability,

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2005/02/15/05-2860/the-social-security-act-sections-223d2a-and-1614a3b-as-amended-42-usc-423d2a-and-1382ca3b-disability