Graham County Proposes Property Tax Rate Reduction

For the sixth consecutive year, Graham County officials have put forward a plan to decrease primary property tax rates. They also propose maintaining the current rates for flood control districts.

Typically, around 25% of property tax revenues go to Graham County, with the remainder allocated to local schools, community colleges, fire services, and irrigation areas. Last year’s flood control district fee was set at $0.12 and is suggested to stay the same this year.

In 2019, property owners in Graham County were charged $2.99 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. For instance, if a home was valued at $150,000 that year, the tax due to Graham County was $448.50. The proposed tax rate for 2024-2025 is estimated to be $2.13 per $1,000. This means that, for the same $150,000 home, the tax would drop to $319.50. This notable 28% decrease is attributed to effective management of public funds, conservative financial strategies, a rise in total asset values across the county, new housing developments, increased business and mining activities, as well as a robust local economy.

The Graham County Board of Supervisors plans to meet on August 1, 2024, to finalize the proposed tax rate. While the primary tax rate shows a decrease, the flood control district rate remains unchanged due to the growing county-wide valuation. According to Arizona law, this situation is viewed as a tax increase. A truth in taxation hearing will be held at 8 a.m. on August 1, 2024, giving residents an opportunity to provide comments or ask questions. Details on the tax proposal will be published in the East Arizona Courier on July 17 and July 24, 2024. For further information regarding Graham County’s proposed budget for 2024-2025, additional details can be found through their official resources.