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Franklin County Assessor NewsRevaluation Statements MailedChange of Value NoticeThe 2023 Change of Value (COV) notices for tax year 2024 were mailed May 31, 2023. They will be on postcards unless you have multiple parcels. The last day to file an appeal if an owner disagrees with the new value will be July 3, 2023. New values are based on sales of similar properties prior to January 1, 2023. Any sales occurring in 2023 will not be used to set assessed values until next year. The COV notice will have the old value and the new value listed. There is also a line for “Improvements” which refers to anything which is not land: houses, garages etc., it does not mean the owner has done any actual improvements to the property. Sales and Statistical data is available online at https://www.franklincountywa.gov/176/Appraisal-Data. It is the intent of the Assessor’s Office to have accurate information on record for each property and to generate fair and equitable values. Washington State MandateWashington State requires assessed values to be at 100% of market value. Assessors measure appraisal level by comparing appraised values to sales prices. This relationship is commonly referred to as the “ratio” and is calculated by dividing the appraised value by the sales price. For example, a ratio of 85% would indicate a positive market adjustment to increase the assessed value and a negative market adjustment would be made to decrease assessed values with ratios above 100%. Revaluation CycleFranklin County, along with the entire state of Washington, is on an annual revaluation cycle. An annual revaluation cycle means all assessed values countywide are reviewed and potentially adjusted each year. Franklin County is divided into six geographical zones. Each zone contains multiple neighborhoods. On an annual revaluation cycle, one zone is physically inspected each year while the other five zones are updated statistically using sales ratio analysis. Zone 3 was the physical inspection area for this cycle, tax year 2024. Zone 3 includes most properties north of I-182 to Burns and Rd 36 to Rd 84, consisting of residential and commercial properties from fair to excellent quality. Development costs have increased significantly over the past few years. The Assessor’s Office receives updated development costs from Marshall & Swift Cost Handbook by CoreLogic annually. These costs are adjusted to the local market. Property TaxMany property owners don’t understand that taxes do not generally go up or down at the same rate as the assessed value. It is generally believed that property taxes are like sales taxes and any percentage increase in assessed value creates a like percentage increase in property taxes. A 10% increase in assessed value is not equal to a 10% increase in the next year’s taxes. It is important to understand the assessment is a direct result of market transactions that have taken place, and it is required to be 100% of market value. Appeal PeriodDuring the 30-day appeal window, it is imperative for property owners who are concerned about their new values to discuss property values with the Assessor’s Office. Talking to the property owner helps the Assessor’s Office correct any errors and gives the property owner a better understanding of the assessment process. It is beneficial to everyone if we can resolve any issues prior to going through the appeal process. Please don’t hesitate to call our office with any questions. Assessment Standards and AuditsWashington State Department of Revenue (DOR) performs a Real Property Ratio Study annually to determine the level of assessment for each county. The 2022 Real Property Ratio was 84.6%. This is due to the continued increasing market. Ratios are considered to be ‘conforming’ when they are between 90%-110% per International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) standards. The result in an increasing market is a lower overall DOR sales study ratio and also indicates that assessed values must be raised in order to meet IAAO standards. DOR also performs a Valid Sales Study report every three years to compare the level of assessment on properties that have not sold to properties that have sold to determine if they are being similarly assessed. That study also includes analysis of how different types of property and different assessment levels relate to each other. The results of Valid Sales Study reports show Franklin County meets or exceeds all IAAO standards. ReminderPlease remember that you only have until July 3 to appeal your new values. ExemptionIf you own and reside in a home or mobile home, are 61 years of age or older or retired because of disability, and meet the income requirements, you may qualify for an exemption. All income information must be provided to the Assessor’s Office to qualify for this exemption. Please contact the Assessor’s Office if you have any questions. If you have any questions about your COV notice, the Senior Exemption program or any other property tax issue, or see a correction needed on our TaxSifter or MapSifter websites please contact us at 509-545-3506. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri at the Courthouse in Pasco. Thank you, |
Welcome to the Franklin County Assessor's Office
Our goal in the Franklin County Assessor's Office is to provide you with exceptional service in a caring, courteous and respectful manner, in accordance with our Core Values. The Assessor's website is designed with the goal in mind to serve your needs and answer as many of your questions as we can anticipate.
The Assessor's Office does not establish the dollar amount of taxes required nor do we bill or collect taxes. Taxpayers, State limitations and each district's assessed value determines the tax rate for each district. The County Treasurer bills and collects the required tax.
It is the responsibility of the Assessor's Office to ensure that all property owners are treated fairly and impartially in accordance with our state laws. It is the goal of the Assessor's Office to provide superior service to our community and residents to continually demonstrate fairness, honesty, and integrity in everything we do.
CORE VALUES
FAIR – Ethics of absolute fairness, honesty, and integrity, guide everything we do. Our actions match our words. We balance the expectations, and earn the trust of our community, its residents and fellow employees.
CARING – We ensure that every human interaction is caring, courteous, and respectful. We expect our employees’ decisions and interactions be carried out in a way that allows all involved to maintain dignity. We speak candidly and listen openly. We value and respect diversity of background, thought, and style. We know everyone in our workplace and community can potentially contribute diverse ideas, and we actively pursue such knowledge.
HUMAN – We are positive, energetic, and committed to achieving our objectives and living our values. We celebrate our successes and learn from our failures. We keep our egos in check and maintain a sense of humor. We believe in the power of talented, committed individuals – working as a T.E.A.M – to make an extraordinary difference.
DYNAMIC – We are never satisfied with the status quo and know that we must continually reinvent our team and ourselves. We break down silos and bureaucracies in order to serve our community and residents efficiently. We continuously drive operational excellence to innovate our processes and services.
DRIVEN – We are committed to excellence and the achievement of superior long-term service to our community and residents. We set high, measurable goals and hold ourselves accountable to achieve them. We benchmark from our community and residents’ viewpoints, while yet adhering to all applicable laws. We look both within and outside our industry to learn.
Mission Statement
The Franklin County Assessor's Office and staff have a primary responsibility to maintain the property assessment system in a way that is equitable, fair, and uniform to all citizens of Franklin County and meets all constitutional and statutory requirements.
Our Mission is to perform those duties to the highest ethical standards of fairness, honesty, and integrity, ensuring that every interaction is caring, courteous, respectful, and dignified.
We are committed to excellence and the achievement of superior long-term service to our community and residents.
The Franklin County Assessor's Office will mail Real Property Change of Value Notices in June each year. Tax statements will be mailed by the Treasurer's Office in February of each year.
RCW 84.40.020 requires all real property to be valued as of January 1st of each year for taxes payable the following year. The value notice you receive in the summer will be based on the previous year's market data, which may or may not indicate an impact from prior years' economic conditions. If you want more information, please contact us.