Thirteen years ago, our house was built in Washougal for a total cost of $350,000, including the land. This year the house is assessed at over $1 million. We also own a lot we paid $100,000 for that is now assessed at $260,000 (which I doubt anyone would pay that much for).
Based on these assessments, the Camas school levies, which we were asked to support, will cost us $17,350 over the next four years. As a retired school employee, I want to support schools, but these assessments are asking a lot of us and others. We have been delivering meals for Meals on Wheels for several years, and it is surprising how many nice houses we deliver to because the families are actually cash poor, no doubt affected by these extreme increases in property taxes. It seems that taxes should be based on income, rather than property value. What will stop this escalation?
