Arizona Western College has second highest overall tax rate in the state

Parker Pioneer
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
John Gutekunst

In their June 2018 newsletter, the Arizona Tax Research Association found Arizona Western College has the third highest primary property tax rate of the 12 community college districts in the state at $2.22 of $100 of net assessed value. The highest is Graham County/Eastern, at $3.33 of $100 of net assessed value. Cochise County has a primary rate of $2.40 of $100 of net assessed value.

When the secondary tax rate of .36 percent is added to the primary tax rate, Arizona Western College has the second highest overall tax rate of community college districts in the state at $2.58 of $100 of net assessed value.

AWC Spokesperson Lorraine Stofft said the college district board does not set the tax rate. Rather, state law provides the college receives a certain amount of money each year so they are sustainable. Property values determine what the tax rate will be. Stofft said that, if property values go up, the tax rate will go down.

ATRA said the good news was AWC was one of four college districts in the state which will not be raising their taxes for fiscal year 2018-19. The others are Graham County/Eastern, Pinal County/Central and Santa Cruz Provisional. The others are mostly raising theirs by 2 percent. Maricopa County is raising theirs by 1.3 percent.

Six districts, including Cochise County, Coconino County, Mohave County, Navajo County/Northland, Pima County, and Gila Provisional are at the limits of their levies. AWC is at 98 percent of their levy.

Here are the community college districts in Arizona and their property tax rates per $100 of net assessed value, according to ATRA. They’re ranked from highest to lowest, by primary, secondary and overall tax rates.

Graham County/Eastern $3.33 0 $3.33

Yuma/La Paz (AWC) $2.22 .36 $2.58

Cochise County $2.40 0 $2.40

Pinal County/Central $2.18 .19 $2.37

Yavapai County $1.76 .19 $1.95

Navajo County/Northland $1.85 0 $1.85

Pima County $1.40 0 $1.40

Maricopa County $1.17 .20 $1.37

Mohave County $1.34 0 $1.34

Gila Provisional .96 0 .96

Coconino County .47 .12 .59

Santa Cruz Provisional .49 0 .49