Tax statements go out

Payments are due by Nov. 15. Options are to pay in full, that day, make two payments, the first of which is due Nov. 15, or make three payments. Installment payments are due Nov. 15, Feb. 15, 2020 and May 15, 2020.

The $42 million in taxes imposed is up $2 million, or about 5.1 percent, from the $40 million imposed last year.

Tax assessed value is up 3.6 percent, or $84.8 million, from the $2.3 billion assessed in 2018.

Real market value is up 2.6 percent, or $107 million, from $4.1 billion in 2018 to $4.2 billion in 2019.

The tax roll includes the county, six cities, three fire districts, nine other general government agencies, six school districts, three education service districts and two community colleges.

Taxpayers can pay in person at the courthouse at 511 Washington St., The Dalles, online at the county’s website on the assessor’s page, or with a credit card by calling 844-435-3978.

But most payments are mailed to the assessor’s office’s US Bank lockbox payment processing center in Portland. This is the last year for that option, however, since US Bank is no longer offering that service, Amery said. The assessor’s office will be making some changes for next year, she said.

The pay-in-full option is the most popular, Amery said, because taxpayers get a 3 percent discount if they use that option. Taxpayers get a 2 percent discount if they pay 2/3 of their tax bill by Nov. 15.

There is no discount if three equal payments are made.

She said that a large number of people still go into the assessor’s office to pay in person. Collection rates for the taxes owed have been climbing around the 96th percentile.

The assessor’s office has new videos to address taxation and valuation questions, which are viewable from links on the assessor’s webpage.