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Salem property owners to see lowest property tax increase countywide

The average Marion County property owner will pay 3% more in property taxes this year, the assessor’s office announced Wednesday.

Salem residents in Marion County will pay $19.53 per $1,000 of assessed property value, down from $19.87 last year.

Oregon’s constitution caps assessed value increases at 3%. Property taxes are based on assessed values and tax rates that can fluctuate when bonds are passed or paid off.

A Salem home with a real market value of $271,208 last year would’ve paid taxes on $176,140 worth of assessed value, leaving last year’s bill at $3,499. This year that same home would have a real market value of $296,840 and would be taxed on $181,420 of assessed value, making this year’s taxes increase slightly to $3,544.

Salem is experiencing the county’s lowest tax increase of 1% with the expiration of a Salem-Keizer school bond.

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West Salem, which is in Polk County, also saw a rate decrease, from $18.92 per $1,000 of assessed value last year, to $18.67 this year. Earlier this year, Polk County voters passed a public safety levy that taxed 42 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. Polk County Assessor Valerie Patoine said west Salem didn’t feel that increase because of other bonds that got paid off.

In Keizer, residents will pay $16.41 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For a home with an assessed value of $201,050, taxes will cost $3,379.

Tax rate per $1,000 by city. (Graphic by Saphara Harrell)

Countywide, real market value increased by more than 9%, up to $50.7 billion. In Polk County, real market value increased 10% to $10.8 billion.

Marion County has 131,000 property tax accounts, said Marion County Assessor Tom Rohlfing.

Rohlfing pointed to a healthy economy and high employment as reasons for the increase in home values. He also said business interest in the area, like the Amazon fulfilment center in southeast Salem, is spurring growth.

“I’d say there’s quite a bit of new property, development has been strong,” Rohlfing said.

In Marion County, property owners owe more than $452 million, up $15 million from last year.

A majority of that money — $176 million — goes to school districts.

Amount Marion County property owners owe each year. (Graphic by Saphara Harrell)

Properties in the Santiam Canyon School District, which spans from Mill City to Idanha, saw the highest tax increase after passing a school bond that added a levy rate of $2.45 per $1,000 of assessed value.

For the average home in Mill City with an assessed value of $95,000 that adds an additional $232 in taxes.

The cities of Woodburn and Jefferson will see tax increases of about 5% because of new Fire District Local Option Levies. The cities of Aurora and Donald will see a tax increase of about 6% because of the Aurora Fire District Local Option Levy.

Woodburn property owners pay the county’s highest rates, either $19.91 or $19.86 per $1,000 of assessed value depending on whether or not they live within the soil and water district.

Salem’s largest taxpayers are Portland General Electric, Centurylink and Northwest Natural Gas Co., which all pay more than $1 million in property taxes each year.

Owners with questions, or who feel changes are needed, should contact the Assessor’s Office at (503) 588-5144.

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