GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Residents who object to the Garfield County Assessor’s office valuations of their homes or how their properties are classified on county tax rolls are now on the clock.

Property owners who feel the assessed values of their homes are too high must file an objection with the county assessor’s office by June 2. Those objections have to be postmarked, delivered or presented in person by that deadline, according to the county assessor’s office.

If a resident feels the county classification of his or her property is inaccurate, they have to file an objection with the assessor’s office by June 16.

A property’s classification and its value determines what a resident has to pay in property taxes, said Garfield County Assessor John Gorman. Residential properties are assessed at a lower rate than commercial properties, Gorman said.

The current rate of assessment for residential properties is 7.96 percent. That means if a resident has a $100,000 home, the assessed value of his or her home is $7,960.
A county property tax bill is calculated by multiplying the home’s assessed value by the county’s mill levy, which is currently 13.655, and then dividing by 1,000.

That $100,000 property would then carry a county tax bill of about $108. However, several agencies — like fire protection and school districts — also assess a mill levy on a county property. Those mill levies are added to the county’s 13.655 mill rate to calculate a final tax bill.

Commercial properties are assessed at 29 percent in the county, Gorman said. So a $100,000 commercial property would face a county bill of $405. Again, the bill would be higher because of additional mill levies assessed by local agencies.

The assessor’s office will begin a countywide reappraisal of area properties beginning on Aug. 1, Gorman said.

Gorman added that residents who are over 65 years old and have used their property as their principal residence for 10 years are eligible to have one-half of the first $200,000 reduced from their property valuations.

Disabled veterans who sustained a service-connected disability while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States and were honorably discharged are also eligible for that same exemption as well, Gorman said.

The Garfield County Treasurer’s department sent about 32,680 property tax notices earlier this year. Sixty-five taxing authorities in the county are seeking to collect $130 million this year, up from the $118 million collected last year — a 10 percent increase.

The increase was because of a rise in property values across the area, according to county officials.

The first half of tax payments were due on Feb. 29 and the second half is due on June 16. If property owners want to pay the full bill at once the deadline is April 30.

The county treasurer’s office warned area residents to make sure they check with their mortgage companies first before sending in their tax payments.

Contact Phillip Yates: 384-9117
pyates@postindependent.com


Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO