Maricopa Co, property tax statement explained

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.

"It's a very complicated issue," said Terry Locke, spokesman for the Chandler Unified School District.

Some taxes are calculated using the full cash value of a home, which is generally related to the home's value. Others, such as city and school bond taxes, are calculated using limited property value. It's a way to protect property owners from high rates.

Phone numbers are published on the bills for property owners to call for any clarifications.

"Every year we get a few calls when the tax statements hit the mail boxes and we prepare ourselves to help explain it," Locke said.

One 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. About 100,000 to 150,000 tax notices will come back for bad addresses, Hoskins said.

"This year we're starting an advertising campaign that says, 'If you own property, you owe taxes, whether you get a tax bill or not,'" Hoskins said.

The first half of the bill is due Oct. 1, Hoskins said. The second half of the bill is due March 1.

School taxes make up a large portion of tax bills.