Pinal County Raises Property Tax Rates to Cover Unfunded Mandates

Even though home values are decreasing in Tucson and elsewhere in Pinal County, most homeowners won’t see a decrease in their annual property tax bill.

That’s not going to make residents happy.

Continuing a theme that is being repeated in counties across the country, Pinal County is joining the ranks of other counties that are raising property tax rates in a declining housing market.

Why?

Because the county board of supervisors decided to increase the property tax rate from $3.40 per $100 of assessed value to $3.99 – That’s a 17% increase in the Pinal County property tax rate!

County officials offered the usual explanations including stating that there wasn’t much room to cut deeper after last year’s actions were taken to eliminate 120 FTE positions, lay off 40 employees, and to implement a hiring freeze.

Pinal County officials placed most of the blame for this year’s property tax increase on the state and federal governments for putting the county on the hook for unfunded mandates – programs the county is required by law to implement but does not receive adequate funding for from the State of Arizona or from the federal government.

The reality is that unfunded mandates only explain half of the proposed increase in Pinal County property tax rates.

Regardless of whether the State of Arizona, the federal government, or the county is to blame, residents are not happy with the situation.

The decision to raise property tax rates leaves Tucson property owners with the same annual property tax bill on homes that are now worth significantly less. Many citizens in the county are urging that additional budget cuts be considered so that homeowners can enjoy some property tax relief during these difficult times.

Don’t pay any more in Pinal County property taxes than you have to. Use ValueAppeal to appeal your property tax assessment today.