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How Spokane's property-tax levy works, what the 1% cap means and where the money goes
Summary
Director Kate Fairborn walked the council through the players, timing and math of property taxes, explained the statutory 1% levy‑growth limit and banking practice, and presented 2026 levy figures including a $10.15 total levy per $1,000 and a $2.59 city share per $1,000.
At a Spokane City Council study session, Director Kate Fairborn explained how property taxes are calculated, who sets assessed values, how levy limits work and what the 2026 levy numbers mean for homeowners and the city budget.
Fairborn described the principal players (the county assessor who sets assessed values; taxing districts that set budgets and levies; voters who may approve levies or bonds) and walked the council through the annual timeline: assessment work in July–September, council levy adoption in October, the first large property‑tax allocations arriving to the city in April–May, and a later influx in the fall.
"Property taxes are…
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