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Common Questions

What does Proposition 8 say?

Revenue and Taxation Code Section 51 requires the assessor to enroll the lower of either the property's Factored-Base-Year Value (established under Proposition 13) or its market value as of the lien date (January 1).

This reduction is temporary and the assessor is required to review the market value of the property each lien date after the reduction until such time as the Factored-Base-Year Value is less than or equal to the market value.

When the Factored-Base-Year Value is again enrolled, the property is no longer subject to the annual review, and will receive indexing not to exceed 2% per year.

If I have been granted a reduction for the current year will I have to request another review next year?

No, once you have been granted a reduction pursuant to Proposition 8 your next year's value will automatically be reviewed. A Notification of Assessed Value will be sent to you in July, which will indicate our findings.

Why isn't the reduction under Proposition 8 permanent?

Proposition 8 (now California State Revenue and Taxation Code Section 51) requires the Assessor to compare each property's Factored-Base-Year value with the current market value, and enroll the lesser of the two each year.

What if after having been given a reduction, my value continues to decline?

Once a property value has been lowered for Proposition 8, your next year's assessed value will be automatically reviewed. The lower of current market value and Factored-Base-Year Value will be enrolled.

What will happen to my assessment if values start to rise?

Your taxable value reduction to market value is temporary and the assessor is required to review the market value of the property each lien date after the reduction, until such time as the Factored-Base-Year Value is less than or equal to the market value.

Unless there is a change in ownership or new construction, this increase in value cannot exceed the original assessed value plus the annual inflationary factor not to exceed 2 Percent per year.

Why is my taxable value going up when market values are going down? or I bought my house in 1982, but values are going down and I've lost a lot of equity.  Why don't you lower my value?

The assessed value on your annual tax bill represents either (1) your base year value that increases each year by an inflation factor not exceeding 2% (Prop 13 value), or (2) current market value as of the January 1 lien date (Prop 8 value). 

Proposition 8, passed in November 1978, amended Proposition 13 to recognize declines in value for property tax purposes.  As a result, Revenue & Taxation Code 51 requires the Assessor to annually enroll either a property's Proposition13 or its market value as of the January 1st lien date, whichever is less

For a property to qualify for a value reduction under Proposition 8, the market value of the property is analyzed utilizing comparable sales recorded no more than 90 days after January 1st.  

For example:  you purchased your property many years ago and your Proposition 13 value has now increased to $200,000.  Comparable properties in your neighborhood were selling at around $300,000 last December and January.  In this example, your assessed value would increase by the annual inflation factor (2% this year). However, if the comparable properties were selling in the $180,000 range, then you would qualify for a Prop 8 reduction. 

Why didn't the Assessor lower the value of my home to what the house next door sold for last week?

The law requires the Assessor to value your property as it existed at 12:01 am, January 1, the lien date, each year.  Declines in value that occur after the January 1 lien date cannot legally be recognized until the following January 1 lien date.

For example, say your property's market value was $400,000 on January 1, 2009, $375,000 on May 30, 2009 and $350,000 by the time you receive your property tax bill in October 2009.  The $400,000 value is the value the law requires we compare to your factored base year value when deciding which is lower as of January 1, 2009.  The further decline in value, occurring after January 1, 2008, cannot be recognized until January 1, 2010.

Why is the taxable value so high?  I just bought it for $200,000 less than shown on the annual bill. or Why am I being charged for the previous owner's assessment?  I didn't own it on January 1.

Property taxes become a lien on property as of the January 1st preceding the fiscal year the taxes cover.  In other words, the owner(s) as of January 1, 2009 are being billed for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.  If you purchased your property after January 1, but prior to the creation of the original bill the following October, the Tax Collector may send a duplicate bill to the current owner making them aware of the property tax liability. 

Say, for example, you purchased a property January 14, 2009.  Property taxes for the 2008-09 fiscal year are generally prorated in escrow between buyer and seller based on periods of ownership.  While the seller would have received the 2009-10 annual tax bill, the new owner is typically liable for the entire tax bill.

Any difference between the prior owner's value and the fair market value of your home (generally your purchase price) will be addressed through the supplemental process.  If the regular tax bill is paid, and your fair market value is lower the prior owner's assessed value, a refund will be issued.  In the opposite situation where your fair market value  is greater than the prior owner's assessed value, a bill or bills would be generated.

When do I get my supplemental refund and how much will it be for?

The answer about timing is that this varies.  Just as homes are purchased throughout the year, and as businesses deal with business processes during the year, so it goes with the Assessor's Office.  The taxpayer should be prepared to pay taxes on the prior owner's bill without dependence on a refund of taxes from the supplemental process.  This is because both installments of taxes on the annual tax bill may become due and payable before taxes are refunded from the supplemental roll.

As far as the amount of the taxes refunded (or billed) for a supplemental assessment created due to a change in ownership, it is a pro-ration based on the number of days of ownership in the fiscal year.

The Assessor's Office reduced my value, but I believe it's even lower than that.  What can I do? or I don't agree with the Assessor's value.

If you disagree with an assessment made by the Assessor, you have the right to appeal that assessment to the Assessment Appeals Board by filing an Application for Changed Assessment between July 2 and November 30, inclusive.  The Assessment Appeals Board is an independent body appointed by the Board of Supervisors to serve as the local Board of Equalization.  The filing of the application, however, does not excuse you from paying taxes as they become due.  To avoid penalties, you must pay your taxes on time

Before filing the application, we recommend that you first discuss your situation with a member of our appraisal staff.  Discussing the appraisal of your property with the Assessor's staff will assist you in understanding the methods and market data used in determining taxable value.

For additional information concerning appeals, you may view a video tutorial about the process produced by the State Board of equalization.  This video is located on our website at http://assessor.countyofventura.org.

My neighbor and I have the same exact houses.  Why are his taxes lower?

Proposition 13, passed in 1978, established the base year value concept for property tax assessments.  Under Proposition 13, assessments for the year 1975-76 serve as the original base year values.  Thereafter, a new base year value is established whenever property is purchased, newly constructed or changes ownership.  The base year value is increased a maximum 2% a year.

Example: 
Homeowner A purchased their home in December 1982 for $50,000.

Homeowner B purchased the same exact model in December 2007 for $500,000.

Homeowner A's factored base year value is approximately $82,000 as of January 1, 2009.

Homeowner B's factored base year value is approximately $510,000 as of January 1, 2009

The actual market value, as of January 1, 2009 is $450,000.

Homeowner A's property tax bill will be based on their factored based year value of $82,000 since it is lower than it's market value of $450,000.

Homeowner B's property tax bill will be based on the actual market value of $450,000 since it's lower than the factored base year value of $510,000.