I read with interest Arnie Zweig’s letter “Property taxes burden seniors,” dated July 16. Home assessments, a function of the rising real estate market, have increased dramatically.
Other reasons create increased property taxes. In December, the Clark County council increased funding for the 2017-2018 budget. Taxes will be 1 percent higher in 2017 than last year.
The Affordable Housing ballot supported by the Vancouver City Council passed. That placed a burden of 36 cents per $1,000 of assessed value on property owners.
The Supreme Court ruled the state should fully fund K-12 public schools. Previously, schools have relied on voted property tax levies. To comply with the court ruling, our Legislature recently increased state property taxes to $2.70 per $1,000 of assessed value, from $1.89. In addition, local property-tax levies, which should have been reduced, will not be capped until 2019.
