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Treasurer reports strong early tax collections, explains REET changes and warns of administrative workload from expanded senior exemption
Summary
Cowlitz County Treasurer Deborah Gardner briefed commissioners on property-tax collections (about 55.8% collected year-to-date after a large mortgage-company remittance), explained state REET changes adopted Jan. 1, 2023, and warned that an expanded senior/disabled exemption referenced in the meeting will increase ongoing administrative work and shift tax burden to other taxpayers.
Deborah Gardner, Cowlitz County treasurer, delivered the treasurer’s quarterly update, reporting property-tax collections are on track after a large mortgage-company payment and outlining how state and local policy changes will affect county administration and revenues.
Collections and cash: Gardner said first-quarter collections were stronger this year (8.56% in the first quarter) and that a lump payment from mortgage companies boosted year-to-date collections to about 55.8%. She listed the county’s beginning general-fund cash and current balances and provided a multi-year view of collection volumes and the county investment pool performance.
Real estate…
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