Started by Heike And Terry
Feb 13, 2026

In April, you may vote for increasing the County property tax from the current $0.54 to $0.85 per $1,000 of assessed value. What could that look like for your property taxes next year?

2027 forecast for 31c county levy increase - your prop value the same as 2026:
??" All other rates same as this year. Your tax increase: 4.5%
??" 9c more for any other rates and 26c for parcsandrec. Your tax increase: 9.8%

There’s no rhyme or reason to how your prop value percentage increases compared to your neighbors. Yours might go up 10% or more next year while your lucky neighbor’s goes up only half a percent.

2027 forecast - your prop value 10% more than 2026:
??" All other rates: same as this year. Your tax increase: 15%
??" 9c more for any other rates and 26c for parcsandrec. Your tax increase: 20.8%

So for the median home value of $850K increasing 10% to $935K, with the county levy increase, a random 9c increase in any other rate(s) and a random 26c for a new parks and rec levy, the prop tax would increase from $5625 (2026) to $6,796 (2027). Almost $1200.

WITHOUT the levy lift, SJC already ranks highest in per capita county general fund prop tax 2025. Examples:
SJC: $450 ($8,318K/18.5K people)
Adams: $258 ($5,416K/21K people)
Klickitat: $242 ($5,679K/23.5K people)
Pacific: $235 ($5,649K/24K people)
Skagit: $237 ($31,533K/133K people)
King: $441 ($1,048,328K/2378K people)
https://dor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/Table_10_2025.xlsx
https://dor.wa.gov/about/statistics-reports/property-tax-statistics/property-tax-statistics-2025

WITH the 31c levy increase, the County tax fund would be $700 per capita. And that - in comparison to other counties - is truly mind boggling.

While there may be intricate reasons why this (small) county needs as much or much more $ per capita as other small counties or giant King County, on the surface it looks like the county indulges in a lot of nice-to-haves.

As the affordability crisis rages on, I would love to see the decision makers in this bluest county of a blue state (and Lopez as the bluest isle) to take their head out of the sand and get serious about mitigating the affordability problem instead of passing the buck. A lot of people that fund the county via prop tax or rent had to cut their nice-to-haves (like retirement savings). So maybe the county should too. Same for any other organization still feeling entitled to “More” while many have to do with less.

For the deep read on affordability and the county levy, I recommend links below.
https://sanjuanislander.com/jeremy-nash-the-county-councils-levy-choice/

https://sanjuanislander.com/jeremy-nash-county-council-begins-shaping-its-levy-lid-lift-resolution/

Heike

Comment by Juliene Gschwend
Feb 19, 2026

I hope everyone is aware that there is a senior/disabled tax rate that is lower if you qualify, so please look into it if you are struggling with increases. Also the farm rate is lower, and I know it's no accident that people who aren't here full time lease out farm land to get that better designation as a farm (and of course this is legit and help ... Read All

Comment by Hazel Burns
Feb 17, 2026

Heike & Terry:

Thank you very much for the information. I will check those sales out.

I have heard that appeals are very rarely successful, but maybe I should give it a try.

Thanks again.

Comment by Heike And Terry
Feb 15, 2026

What reasons does the council have for not considering the auditor’s suggestions? Because the statistics are striking:
The SJC assessor office ranks second last in the state for workload (# of parcels per FTE) and third last in # of inspections per appraiser.
But it ranks second highest in the stat ... Read All

Comment by Kevin Sterling
Feb 15, 2026

I tuned in on a few of the Council meetings where the budget was discussed. At these meetings the auditor would give a report on the budget and provide recommendations on how to solve budget shortfalls. The Council would then reject most of the auditors suggestions. At one of the last meetings the auditor suggested reductions to the assessors department and ... Read All

Comment by Heike And Terry
Feb 14, 2026

Hazel, I agree your place seems over-assessed at 1.1 million. You could try to appeal your assessment based on the following 3 sales:
450 cross rd for $850K (2025)
3700 Center Rd for $790K (2024)
1951 Center Rd for $810K (2023)
All three have larger acreage than yours.

Comment by Hazel Burns
Feb 14, 2026

A property is only worth what someone else will pay for it. Would your property sell for it's assessed value? SJC's assessment of my property is a fantasy - it is completely unrealistic. How about yours? My latest property tax increase immediately wiped out over 50% of my recent Social Security increase. Property tax of $7,209 for a two bed ... Read All

Comment by Dan Handshue
Feb 14, 2026

Thank you Heike and Terry for spelling this issue out so well. As a senior on a fixed income, I simply cannot afford these levies appearing on every ballot. My 2026 bill is already $700 dollars over 2025. I’d like to see a moratorium on levies on the ballot.