Senate Bill That Could Impact Property Taxes of Santiam Canyon Wildfire Victims Receiving Public Comments

Santiam Canyon residents, if you lost your home and had to rebuild after the Labor Day wildfires, you are aware of the increase in property taxes due to the State of Oregon’s tax laws. Based on Measure 50 and Oregon tax law, the maximum assessed value of each unchanged property can increase no more than 3% each year. However, legal and/or physical changes to the property are considered to be exceptions to this limit. Traditionally, the assessed value on new or updated construction was not “grandfathered in” or the same as the original assessed value on these affected properties. Now, that could be changing.

Senate Bill 1012, which is scheduled for its second public hearing, would authorize Marion County to allow some fire-impacted residents who rebuilt their home on the same lot to reset their property taxes to the homestead’s real market value for the 2020-2021 tax year, to the extent of the original square footage of their original residence. This bill could lower property taxes back to pre-fire rates for some fire-affected residents.

The hearing for SB 1012 is Thursday, May 4, from 8:30am. After that, public comments will be accepted for 48 hours after the hearing. 

We encourage you to share your thoughts with your legislators on this topic, you can submit public testimony here, or you can register to testify and attend the hearing on Thursday, May 4, at 8:30am (900 Court St NE, Salem, OR 97301, Hearing Room A), or sign up to testify in person via zoom here.