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, usually in Building One, Room 152 of the Thurston County Courthouse, located at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW in Olympia.
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:
Bob Hastings, Chairman
Diane Pust, Vice Chair
John Morrison
Alternate Members of the Board are:
John Graver
Ted May
Lee Ruddy