1. Your Property Is Assessed And Its Market Value Determined
First, the assessor sets the market value of your property. Market value is the value, for tax purposes, of a particular parcel of property (land and buildings). County assessors value all property in the City annually.
Notices indicating these market values for the coming year are sent out in March. In April, the City’s Board of Review hears appeals, if any, from property owners. By July, market values are set. There is a lag time between when the property value is set and when the taxes are paid.
2. The Market Value Determines Your Property's Tax Capacity
Second, the tax capacity for each piece of property in the City is calculated by a formula that varies by property type. The formulas are set by the legislature and are subject to change. Total tax capacity, which becomes the City’s tax base, is determined by adding the tax capacities of all individual parcels of property in the entire City.
| Tax Capacity Percentage Table |
|---|
Property Type
| % of Market Value |
| Residential (homestead) | 1% of first $500,000; 1.25% over $500,001 |
Residential (non-homestead)
| 1% of first $500,000; 1.25% of remainder |
Commercial/Industrial | 1.50% of first $150,000; 2% of remainder |
For example, the tax capacity on the average $411,000 residential homestead in Golden Valley is calculated this way:
- $411,000 (estimated market value) - $250 (homestead market value exclusion) = $410,750 (taxable market value)
- $410,750 (taxable market value) x 1% (tax capacity percentage) = 4,107 (tax capacity)
3. City Determines Budget & Levy
Third, the City must determine its total gross tax levy, or the amount of property tax money the City needs to operate and pay its loans (which is the debt service on bonded debt) each year. This amount is determined as part of the annual budgeting process.
4. City Calculates Tax Capacity Rate
Fourth, the City must calculate its tax capacity rate, which is used to calculate the amount of tax to be paid by all City taxpayers. It is determined by dividing the tax levy by the City’s total tax capacity.
5. Your Property Tax Amount Is Calculated
Finally, the City tax on a given property is calculated by taking the City's proposed tax capacity rate (53.305%) times the tax capacity of the property.
- Example: $4,107 (your tax capacity) x .53305 (City's proposed tax capacity rate) = $2,189.24 (your City property tax)