Page 4
The INDEPENDENT, November 7, 2012
Columbia County property taxes explained in detail by county
The 2012-13 Columbia
County Assessment and Tax
Roll has been certified and
property tax bills have been
mailed to Columbia County
property owners.
Between January 1, 2011,
and January 1, 2012, real mar-
ket values for most residential
properties continued to decline,
however, at a much lower rate
than the previous year. Due to
the continued decline, there
are more properties with real
market values falling below the
maximum assessed value, and
are therefore paying taxes
based on the real market value
(RMV).
For the 2010-11 tax year,
only 725 of 24,529 properties
countywide had a real market
value lower than their maxi-
mum assessed value. For the
2011-12 tax year, this in-
creased to 6,000 of 24,363
properties, and for the 2012-13
tax year, there are a total of
8254 out of 24,443. Only
6.03% of commercial proper-
ties fell below their maximum
assessed value this year, while
68.45% of residential proper-
ties in the cities of Saint Helens
and Columbia City are below
their maximum assessed val-
ue.
The drop in real market val-
ue may result in a loss of rev-
enue for some districts, due to
compression. Compression oc-
curs when a category of gov-
ernment exceeds its consoli-
dated rate limit when applied to
the real market value of a prop-
erty. The consolidated rates are
$5.00/$1,000 RMV for educa-
tion and $10.00/$1,000 RMV
for general government. Con-
solidated education rates for
Saint Helens, Scappoose,
Rainier and Vernonia, and con-
solidated general government
rates in the cities of Clatskanie
and Rainier exceed their rate
limits. If the full consolidated
rate applied to the assessed
value of a property is more
than the consolidated rate limit
applied to the RMV, each dis-
trict’s tax in that category is re-
duced proportionately so that it
does not exceed the rate limits.
However, if a district also has a
voter-approved local option
levy, that levy is compressed
before the permanent operat-
ing levies. Voter-approved
bonded debt levies are exclud-
ed from rate limitations.
Due to the market decline
and minimal new construction
in the county, there is very little
change in the total assessed
value for most taxing districts.
A total of $54,819,790 in
property taxes are being billed
for the county, cities, schools
and special districts. That is
1.79 percent more than was
billed last year. In addition, a
total of $1,165,118 will be col-
lected for such things as
drainage district assessments
and the Oregon Department of
Forestry’s fire patrol special as-
sessments, which is 7.16 per-
cent higher than last year.
Countywide, the market val-
ue of all taxable property in-
creased from $5.48 billion to
$5.49 billion, an increase of
only 0.25 percent.
The first payment of the tax
bill is due on Thursday, Novem-
ber 15, 2012. At least one-third
of the amount is due at that
time. Payments can be made
at the tax office in the court-
house, Monday through Thurs-
day between 8:30 a.m. and
5:00 p.m. The county offices
are closed to the public on Fri-
days. For payments made us-
ing a bank’s bill pay service,
the tax account number should
be noted in the memo field.
Payments that are mailed need
to be postmarked by the 15th.
A return envelope is included
with the statements. The sec-
ond and third installments are
due by February 15, 2013 and
May 15, 2013, however the
County does not send out
statements for the February or
May due dates.
Columbia County property
taxes may be paid with E-
checks, credit cards and debit
cards through the Point & Pay
website. To pay on-line, go to
www.co.columbia.or.us; to pay
by phone, call 1-866-587-4007.
There is a 2.95% charge to use
your credit or debit card and a
flat fee of $2.95 for E-checks.
All branches of St. Helens
Community Federal Credit
Union are authorized to collect
2012-13 property tax pay-
ments, through November 15,
2012.
Property owners who pay
See Property on page 14
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., 410 North Street
Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street
American Legion Post #119
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue
Booster Club
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Boy Scout Troop 201
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin
Boy Scout Troop 860
Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., LDS Church
Cemetery Beautification Comm.
2nd Thursday
6:30 p.m., Library
Chamber of Commerce
2nd Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-6081
Community Coalition
2nd Monday
12:30 p.m. School District Ofc.
Cub Scout Pack 201
Scout Cabin
For Info Call 503-429-4250
Emerg. Preparedness Comm.
4th Wednesday
6:30 p.m., WOEC
Friends of the Library
1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library
Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2
For Info Call 503-819-0143
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Kiwanis Club
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Municipal Airport Committee
1t Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Pioneer Museum
For Info Call 503-429-3713
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-0869 7:00 p.m.,Vernonia Grange
Public Works Committee
4th Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Cares Directors
For Info call 503-429-1414
Vernonia City Council
1st & 3rd Mondays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Comm. Learning Center 1st Wednesday
5:00 p.m., VCLC
Vernonia Community PTA
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Vernonia Garden Club
2nd Tuesday
1:30 p.m., Vernonia Library
Vernonia Grange
3rd Monday
7:00 p.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
3rd Thursday
6:30 p.m., 510 Bridge St.
Vernonia Library Board
1st Wednesday
9:00 a.m., Sept-June, Library
Vernonia Parks Committee
3rd Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Planning Comm.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
6:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia School Board
2nd Thursday
6:00 p.m., District Office
Vernonia Sr. Center Board
2nd Friday
10:00 a.m., Senior Center
Vernonia Transfer Station
2nd & 4th Saturdays
8 a.m.-2 p.m.,Behind VHS
Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
WOEC Directors
3rd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., WOEC
MIST-BIRKENFELD
M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg.
3rd Tuesday
M-B Ambulance Drill
1st & 2nd Thursdays
M-B Fire Drill
1st & 2nd Wednesdays
M-B Helping Circle
2nd Monday
M-B SAR Drill
3rd Wednesday
M-B Volunteer Assoc.
1st Tuesday
Natal Grange
2nd Wednesday
T.O.P.S.
Mondays
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Legion Post #90
Banks City Council
Banks Fire District #13
Banks Library Commission
Banks Planning Commission
Banks School Board
Banks Youth Group
Chamber of Commerce
CPO 14
Everybody’s Hometown Band
Friends of the Library
Lions Club
Sunset Park Assoc.
T.O.P.S.
Friday
Wednesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Wednesday
3rd Tuesday
Last Tuesday
2nd Monday
Sunday, Wednesday
1st Thursday
3rd Monday
Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday
1st & 3rd Mondays
3rd Wednesday
Wednesday
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall
9:00 a.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:00 p.m., Main Street Post
7:30 p.m., City Hall
7:00 p.m., Station 13
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., City Hall
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., BHS Music Room
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday
10:00 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia 9-1-1 Board
3rd Thursday
9:00 a.m., 9-1-1 meeting room
Columbia Comm Mental Health
1st Tuesday
5”30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way
Columbia Soil & Water District
3rd Wednesday
7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes
County Fair Board
2nd Monday
6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg.
County Parks Commission
2nd Thursday
4:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St.
Comm. on Children & Families
3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30
Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.