Oregon Public Broadcasting

Many county assessors around the state sent out property tax bills Thursday. For homeowners, this weekend’s bill will bring sticker shock.

From Bend, Ethan Lindsey reports that your property tax bill is almost certainly going to be higher.

Your home’s value has tanked along with the market. So why didn’t your tax bill drop too?

Oregon’s tax revolt provided relief from the state’s rising property taxes in the ‘90s.

Voters then cut the link between the market value of a house – and the assessed property tax. Now, that severed link means lower taxes when markets are going up.

Scot Langton: “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news or anything, but just so you’re aware of how the system works, the same rules apply in a depreciating market.”

Deschutes County Assessor Scot Langton is a homeowner himself. His home value dropped but his taxes are up 70 bucks.

In Eugene, the owner of a median-priced home will pay almost $200 more.

Portland’s median increase is $150. And in parts of Bend, where real estate slipped 50-percent, taxes rose by $100.

Langton says taxpayers in cities like Redmond will be especially hard hit – not only is there the annual bump, but they voted to start paying a new school bond.