County sends '08 tax bills

The bill's in the mail for Maricopa County property owners. For many, the phrases that appear on the notices, such as "full cash value" and "limited property value," are confusing.

For good reason.

And then there are the numbers.

As an example, in Sun City, taxes for 2008 on a house valued at $230,000 would be $1,179.18, a .6 percent increase from 2007.

The taxes break down as follows:

County education, $252.82; community college district, $134.04; community college district bonds, $37.58; general county fund, $178.56; flood control, $31.44; Central Arizona water conservation district, $23; fire district assistance tax $1.22; county library, $8.12; county health care district, $19.68; Sun City Volunteer fire Distrect, $498.66; and Sun City No. 37, $90.12.

The first half of the tax bill is due Oct. 1. The second half is due March 1.

Another point of confusion may be because property owners just this spring received notices about home values from the Maricopa County Assessor's Office for 2009 that reflect a downturn in the market.

But the tax notices sent out this week are for 2008, and use the previous values set when the market looked different.

The amount landowners have to pay is based on two factors - the assessed value of the property and the tax rates that are set by the county, cities, local school districts and other entities.

There are 1.6 million properties in Maricopa County, said county Treasurer Charles "Hos" Hoskins. Some property owners are sent bills. Some are sent postcards letting them know the bills that are being paid by their mortgage companies, Hoskins said.