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A look at your property-tax bill

Click on a number to see its explanation, or read them all

1. Code: The tax code area. There are 662 tax code areas in King County; each one represents a unique combination of taxing districts and rates.

2. State: The state collects about $3 per $1,000 of value in property tax. The proceeds, which statewide totaled $1.45 billion in 2002, are earmarked for K-12 schools.

3. Local school support: Most of Washington's 296 school districts collect property taxes to supplement their state funds. Local school taxes run for up to four years and must be approved by 60 percent of the district's voters. This Bellevue figure represents two levies approved by voters in 1998. Three more approved earlier this year will appear on next year's bill.

4. County: This comprises a "regular levy" (one set by the County Council rather than approved by voters) of $283.53 for general governmental purposes, $44.54 to pay off various bond issues, and $12.57 from a "lid lift." Lid lifts temporarily increase a district's regular levy above the legal cap, and must be approved by a majority of voters. This lid lift was approved in 2000 to fund an automated fingerprint ID system for the sheriff's office.

5. City: This comprises a regular levy of $296.34 to fund general city government and $30.79 to pay off three bonds passed in the 1980s.

6. Port: The Port of Seattle runs Sea-Tac Airport as well as the seaport. It recently raised its property-tax levy 45.7 percent, from $39.8 million this year to $58 million in 2003. Most of the extra money will pay for a new cruise-ship terminal.

7. Library: The King County Library levy comprises $107.23 for regular operations and $16.33 to pay off a $67 million bond issue approved in 1988.

8. Other: This is King County Public Hospital District 1, better known as Valley Medical Center in Renton.

9. Emergency medical services: In 2001, voters approved a six-year, 25 cents per $1,000 levy to fund emergency medical services.

10. Other charges: These are flat per-parcel fees. The soil-conservation fee funds the King Conservation District, which helps landowners with soil and slope conservation, stream restoration and wildlife-habitat management. The County Council approved the noxious-weed fee in 2001 to fund a weed-control program.

11. Land value/improvements/taxable value: Properties in King County are revalued every year based on recent sales of similar properties in the neighborhood. Land and buildings are valued separately. This property's appraised value rose 4.4 percent in 2002 and will be 18.3 percent higher next year. How high its taxes will be, though, also depends on this year's levy elections and the budgets local governments set for 2003.

12. Levy rate: The total of all the levy rates of the various districts, expressed as so much per $1,000 of assessed value.

13. Voter approved: All bonds and "excess" levies (those above the amount the district is entitled to by law) must be OK'd by voters. Voter-approved levies represent 30.8% of this property's 2002 tax bill, a bit under the countywide average of 31.96%.

KRISS CHAUMONT / THE SEATTLE TIMES