Current Thurston County BOE news/updates:
- The BOE anticipates finishing the 2020 assessment year hearings in March/April. Hearings for the 2021 assessment year appeals will begin thereafter. It typically takes 12 to 18 months to finish each year's caseload once hearings start. Residential cases are scheduled by region and commercial cases are scheduled by property type. Taxpayers will receive a written notice at least one month prior to their hearing. While awaiting a hearing, property taxes must still be paid when due to avoid accruing interest and penalty fees. When an appeal is resolved, if there is a valuation change, the Treasurer's Office will either issue a corrected property tax statement or a refund. For more information, please refer to Appeal Process and Frequently Asked Questions.
- Supplemental Information may be submitted electronically for previously filed 2020 or 2021 appeals.
- All BOE hearings are being held remotely via a conference call format.
- BOE meetings are also being held by conference call. See details in "Business Meeting Schedule."
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The Thurston County Board of Equalization is a quasi-judicial board comprised of three citizen members who are appointed for three-year terms by the Thurston County Commissioners. Three alternate members are also appointed by the County Commissioners to serve when regular Board members are absent. The Board is established by the laws of Washington State and governed by the Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR), pursuant to RCW 84.08.020 and 84.08.060.
The Board is separate from and operates independently of the Thurston County Assessor. It adjudicates appeals of assessed property valuations and other determinations of the Assessor, with a goal of providing an impartial and economical forum to hear and decide appeals brought by taxpayers. The Board is also responsible for equalizing the assessed values so that all real and personal properties in Thurston County are assessed equitably at 100 percent of their true and fair value, with comparable properties assessed at comparable values.
Hearings of the Board are open to the public except for confidential proceedings involving proprietary business information. Hearings are held during business hours, currently via a conference call format.
The Board’s Clerk and staff are employees of Thurston County; however, they perform their duties under the direction, and serve at the pleasure, of the Board, pursuant to RCW 84.48.028.
Current members of the Board are:
John Morrison, Chairman
Robert Hastings, Vice Chair
Diane Pust
Alternate Members of the Board are:
John Graver
Ted May