[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6282562,"mediaKeyId","2595016-44225736733b32454cc5281e6f9e005e","parentId",2595016,"title","Dozens of Lewis County property owners criticize short‑term rental assessments at public meeting","audioSeconds",2720,"startMs",1535000,"endMs",4255000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2595016-44225736733b32454cc5281e6f9e005e&start=1535&end=4255","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2595016-44225736733b32454cc5281e6f9e005e/thumbnail_1535000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6282562/Lewis-County/Washington/Dozens-of-Lewis-County-property-owners-criticize-shortterm-rental-assessments-at-public-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282562-878692c297d92abedc4024924bab7b5f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137792&Signature=Zbo2p8sNn~3lWFO12LlqiDnmRRhPEoOYfckaB~0AMVC3kAvNj-gHpCQz9-GI6LPSGLlsZgE1mJUJ9FN~i~8Iof7k9vRW9LwBxLKmSHFtwbPtIdY12wTlXYA9jX~2-Nr-PjUB9EKVs8rCJSmXgsh8R746MhhqOAGA6uKsNxe0VH-6Qq-hD1yu1Y7MZg~yawUaiyqWtSHgS--dFKCX6U2nhtI0sBXc~H7CBARJYIbdnCwWlADPFL6GUquyDu7y5x~jYXzt8RCTXtQ3Fmjb4DJYkFtekRCn-I-ImdrkR~8pAIAer5cIjoC2g2v65h9HL7AwlKY3HNVmCzG9doB~1Vax2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lewis County, WA","date","2025-03-12T06:28:32Z","article","Dozens of residents and short‑term rental owners urged Lewis County elected officials on Tuesday to change how the county's assessor treats properties that are rented briefly, saying new assessments have doubled or sharply increased tax bills for cabins and vacation homes.

Speakers described sharp year‑over‑year increases and questioned the assessor's choice of comparable sales. \"I purchased my home in November of '24 and have a professional appraisal valuing it at $740,000. Yet my 2025 county assessment values the property at $877,000,\" said Laura Parker, who identified herself as a homeowner and short‑term rental operator in Chehalis. \"Why are short‑term rental owners being singled out?\"

Residents from Packwood, Ashford and other tourist‑oriented communities said the assessor's office has categorized homes that were rented at least once as short‑term rentals and then applied a separate comparable set that yields substantially higher land and improvement values. \"The land is valued 17% higher and the improvements are valued 50% higher,\" Parker said. Several other speakers gave similar percentages and described independent mortgage appraisals that differed sharply from county valuations.

Nick Neville, an owner with a property in Ashford, cited a Washington State Supreme Court rule that short‑term vacation rentals are a residential use and urged the county to apply residential comparables. \"Lewis County is the only county in the entire state of Washington that has cherry‑picked data to set a completely distinct comp set of short‑term rentals,\" Neville said.

Other speakers said the assessment changes are forcing owners to run loss‑making operations just to cover taxes or consider selling properties they bought as retirement or second homes. \"This is going to drive owners out of the market,\" said Mary Jaisal, who said her Ashford property was appraised independently at $630,000 but assessed by the county at about $960,300.

Commissioner Swope responded during the public comment period that the assessor is an independent, elected official and not controlled by the Board of County Commissioners, but said she supports re‑examining the treatment of short‑term rentals. \"I believe that these short‑term rentals should not be evaluated differently than a home that is used as a primary residence or a long‑term rental,\" Swope said.

The board did not take formal action on the assessments during the meeting. Several people said they were appealing assessments to the Board of Equalization; others said they had requested reassessments from the county assessor's office. The commissioners invited affected residents to engage with the assessor and with the commissioner's office for additional information.

Copies of assessment appeals and the assessor's methodology were not presented at the meeting; residents and commissioners said the assessor's office should provide clearer documentation of the comparable sets and formulas used. The county manager and assessor were not recorded taking immediate action during the meeting.

The public comment period lasted roughly from the first speaker on the issue through the commissioners' acknowledgement that the assessor's office controls assessments. The Board of Commissioners moved on to scheduled notice and consent items following the public comment session.

Votes at the meeting covered unrelated administrative resolutions; no county resolution to change assessment policy was introduced or voted on during this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-03-11 BOCC Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of residents and short‑term rental owners urged Lewis County elected officials on Tuesday to change how the county's assessor treats properties that are rented briefly, saying new assessments have doubled or sharply increased tax bills for cabins and vacation homes.","taxTitle","Lewis County, Washington","taxId",51407,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6282555,"Lewis County commissioners approve routine and contract items, including senior center repairs and road right‑of‑way acquisition",731,4251000,4982000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2595016-44225736733b32454cc5281e6f9e005e&start=4251&end=4982","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2595016-44225736733b32454cc5281e6f9e005e/thumbnail_4251000.jpg","/articles/6282555/Lewis-County/Washington/Lewis-County-commissioners-approve-routine-and-contract-items-including-senior-center-repairs-and-road-rightofway-acquisition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282555-00bf14d129d3a5c0f031dcfceb5647a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137792&Signature=LlKNq5AyPTmrHHA-k1sNr9ASapg2aWlXFT3IDls3K8qBJyFeji7QiPqrmQlSEDlOkDRP0lz1m3NYRycmhtTUgvcW8vorpV9GFYArcgbqQL0rJlk42Qkbx7gCtLpCKHv94SIqrObW-~64qQBBNhGwMoYeowrWSXmA-Zg53siXDy2YxyrZGibbqUlL0QU3FfXx4gzS2i0lFT6qZCOMtBNoE62rIVlaLQUXdxrxsI1EHtEi2W8HtI2PNNY2UTfZaIWQoGGCHfODR0p3bCm2mm1l6PpMFQPxlyVUSzZq1lDCj33tGcqrfA8g1n34E8lC-K2S1VM5wWRIhtsTC6nQ8y7LJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lewis County Board of Commissioners on March 11 approved a package of notice, consent and deliberation items covering vehicle surplus, payroll warrants and several county contracts and change orders.

The board approved a notice item to surplus five county vehicles (resolution 25‑074) and a consent package including approval of warrants, payroll and minutes from the Feb. 25, 2025 business meeting (resolution 25‑066). The commission also recessed one item (resolution 25‑069) to a March 25 session.

Deliberation items approved by the board included:

- A request to ratify a contract amendment for the Toledo Senior Center renovation for $15,959.28 covering roof sheeting, fascia replacement and gutters (resolution 25‑070).
- A change order for the Twin Cities Senior Center restoration in the amount of $26,426 for added roof insulation, removal of old gutters and installation of new gutters and screens (resolution 25‑071).
- Approval of 2025 public defender contracts for superior, juvenile and district court services and authorization for the county manager to execute the contracts (resolution 25‑072).
- Ratification of a contract between Lewis County Public Works and Sage Geotechnical for geotechnical and geological design services (resolution 25‑073).
- Approval of right‑of‑way acquisition for the Evans Road culvert replacement at mile post 5.371 to comply with fish‑passable structure requirements (resolution 25‑075).

County staff described the surplus and change orders as routine replacements or necessary repairs. Public Works said a temporary culvert fix installed in 2022 requires a fish‑passable replacement within five years under current law, prompting the need for additional right‑of‑way.

All listed deliberation items (resolutions 25‑067 through 25‑073 and 25‑075) were moved and seconded together and approved by voice vote, 3‑0. Earlier motions to approve notice and consent items also passed 3‑0.

No substantive debate was recorded on most items beyond staff explanations. Commissioners asked staff for clarification about the timing for new dump trucks and for additional detail on the senior center roofing work; staff said installation schedules depend on vendor timelines.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 25‑074 (surplus vehicles): approved 3‑0.
- Resolution 25‑066 (warrants, payroll, minutes): approved 3‑0.
- Resolution 25‑069 (recessed to March 25, 2025): approved 3‑0.
- Resolution 25‑070 (Toledo Senior Center change order — $15,959.28): approved 3‑0.
- Resolution 25‑071 (Twin Cities Senior Center change order — $26,426): approved 3‑0.
- Resolution 25‑072 (2025 public defender contracts): approved 3‑0.
- Resolution 25‑073 (Sage Geotechnical contract ratification): approved 3‑0.
- Resolution 25‑075 (Evans Road right‑of‑way acquisition): approved 3‑0.

The meeting adjourned after the votes; the board did not take additional public comment on these matters after approval.","The Board of County Commissioners on March 11 approved a block of deliberation resolutions covering surplus vehicles, warrants and payroll, senior center change orders, public defender contracts and right‑of‑way acquisition for a culvert project. Several items were approved by unanimous voice vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6282558,"Lewis County sheriff asks commissioners to terminate reentry demonstration participation, citing Medicaid funding issues",283,2699000,2982000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2595016-44225736733b32454cc5281e6f9e005e&start=2699&end=2982","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2595016-44225736733b32454cc5281e6f9e005e/thumbnail_2699000.jpg","/articles/6282558/Lewis-County/Washington/Lewis-County-sheriff-asks-commissioners-to-terminate-reentry-demonstration-participation-citing-Medicaid-funding-issues","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282558-018af656d5d41aa29ac72a79e565568e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137792&Signature=hj7tp7NmeeQR5XFGJZWvTzYgSwPMyIhbFuvvut5FW62cdG7muCVdv7WHYtqbe7KVw5hUQwF7oLXkJ11B03iXKaeD7sljlmB2K0f5rVVp~0aAqewtFE0CyFhZ9y5fepN2iT1Y4x-M0-~hgaVDFEsKjCcdJYfcOUqhcC787anSwquIocc6NBCXfqJHhhlhP-bNHs0~n-HB1Zg8-A2PVEmEfOVC~xKd~emBWNMoQg4s486onuJna4z0eLQGqa-mzNEbN0ChdSDqhIWnlPdimA7lwk8cH86YnD3Wd~pNqa4haHc1gTlok7xkyozuC9WHjrGrIeUpuozcqRReQ0hAnbzkuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lewis County Sheriff Chris Sweet told the Board of County Commissioners on March 11 that the county will terminate its agreement to participate in the state's reentry demonstration initiative, citing uncertainty in Medicaid reimbursement and the program's startup costs.

\"We have determined that at this current time, it's not feasible, as a business sense, to actually continue this project, with the amount of money that we are going to have to spend to start the program and the resources that we don't currently have,\" Chief Sweet said.

Sweet said the reentry demonstration began under state law several years ago and that local participation entered through a cohort process with the Health Care Authority for Medicaid reimbursement. He told the commissioners the program had \"gradually unfolded to something that we didn't really expect\" and that the county would revisit participation if future cohorts or program changes made it financially viable.

Commissioners discussed the decision briefly; the board approved the termination request (resolution 25‑067) as part of a package of deliberation items. The motion to approve the listed deliberation items, including the reentry termination, passed on a recorded voice vote of three ayes and no nays (3‑0).

Sweet also reiterated concerns the county has raised about the state's resumption of Medicaid services and the burden he said falls on local taxpayers when state implementation is delayed.

The termination will remove Lewis County from the current cohort of the reentry demonstration initiative; no alternative reentry program or replacement funding was presented at the meeting. The county did not provide an implementation timeline for winding down remaining reentry demonstration activities during the meeting.","Chief Chris Sweet told the Board of County Commissioners that Lewis County will end its participation in the state's reentry demonstration initiative after concluding Medicaid reimbursement and startup costs make the program infeasible now. The board approved the termination as part of a block of deliberation items.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dozens of Lewis County property owners criticize short‑term rental assessments at public meeting

Lewis County commissioners approve routine and contract items, including senior center repairs and road right‑of‑way acquisition

Lewis County sheriff asks commissioners to terminate reentry demonstration participation, citing Medicaid funding issues