Average Maricopa County property-tax bill rises 5.4%

Property tax bills are out for Maricopa County, and most people can expect to see an increase in what they owe this year.

The 2014 property taxes levied are 5.4 percent higher than last year, according to the Maricopa County treasurer. Current property taxes are based on valuations from 2012, when home prices began to climb back from the crash.

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Higher property valuations don't always mean higher taxes. Homeowners' individual tax bills can vary wildly, even between adjacent neighborhoods, because of differences in taxing districts and tax rates.

During the housing crash, property values fell more than 52 percent in Maricopa County, but property taxes dropped an average of only 15 percent between 2008 and 2013 as government entities raised tax rates to make up for other budget shortfalls.

Arizona property owners pay taxes that are collected by the county and distributed to a variety of entities, including county government, school districts, municipalities and special taxing districts created for everything from water to streetlights. In Maricopa County, there are about 1,500 special taxing districts.

Schools get the biggest share of Arizona property tax revenue, about 56 percent of the average homeowner's bill.

Overall, Maricopa County's 2014 tax bill to property owners is $4.2 billion, up from $3.9 billion last year.

Annual property valuations are mailed out in February by the Maricopa County assessor. Tax bills lag valuations by about 18 months so property owners can appeal their valuations if they think they are too high. Property owners can appeal their valuations, but property taxes cannot be appealed.

For most homeowners who make monthly mortgage payments, tax bills are sent electronically to their mortgage companies and the homeowners receive a mailed notice. Most mortgage companies pay homeowners' tax bills and property insurance through escrow accounts.

Tax payments can be made in two equal parts, due Oct. 1, 2014, and March 1, 2015. Those payments become delinquent on Nov. 1, 2014, and May 1, 2015, respectively.

Homeowners who do not receive their bill this month can visit treasurer.maricopa.gov or call 602-506-8511 to check their bills or to verify that their mailing addresses are current.

Where your taxes go

A property-tax bill includes payments to a variety of taxing jurisdictions. The average Maricopa County taxpayer's bill is split this way:

School districts: 56 percent.

Community colleges: 12 percent.

Maricopa County: 12 percent.

City or town: 11 percent.

Special districts (such as fire and flood control): 5 percent.

State: 4 percent.

Source: Maricopa County