Assessor's Office

Introduction

����������� This report is a breakdown of 2002 assessed values, together with levies and taxes for 2003. The summary contains a full and complete list of assessed valuations in the county, by taxing district, together with the amount of taxes raised for each district.

����������� Skagit County has approximately 71,000 separate parcels of real property, mobile homes and buildings on leased land. With having gone to an annual revaluation program in 1986, each parcel must be physically inspected and appraised not less than once every four years and is subject to annual statistical revaluation the years in which there is no physical appraisal. This is done in accordance with a Department of Revenue-approved annual revaluation plan. The result of this program is your property will either increase in value, decrease in value, or retain its current value, depending upon current market and economic conditions in effect at the time of the revaluation. If the value has changed, either up or down, you will receive a "notice of change of value". If you disagree with the new valuation, we encourage you to contact the assessor's office first, in the event that an error has been made, or that a possible adjustment may be in order. If you desire further relief, then you may appeal to the Skagit County Board of Equalization, which meets in July of each year.

����������� Skagit County also has approximately 3300 parcels of personal property, which are listed and assessed annually. Basically, personal property is defined as all machinery and equipment used in agriculture, logging, offices, stores, etc., and all other items, less business inventories, that are used in conjunction with operating a commercial venture of any kind. Each year we send the owners of personal property a personal property detail sheet, which you are obliged to complete and return in its entirety. Upon receipt of this detail sheet we value the items listed in accordance with a state-wide schedule.

����������� There are also an additional 2,100 utility parcels which are centrally valued by the Washington State Department of Revenue and administered locally. These parcels include such items such as railroads, telephone companies, privately owned electrical companies and natural gas lines.