Washington County

Three in-person meetings will be held with randomly selected participants from Washington County. Notes and PowerPoint presentations from these meetings will be displayed here, as they are available:

• Notes from Meeting #1 (PDF)
  When asked to describe property taxes, the top three responses from group participants were "confusing," "bureaucratic," and "hidden." Citizens want to know why their taxes are going up or down, what services they fund through property taxes and why taxes are the source of funding for those services. Something along the lines of a "sticker price" was suggested—let citizens know what they are getting for their money.
• PowerPoint presentation from Meeting #2 (PDF)
  The slide that generated the most positive feedback was a slide that shows how much the average taxpayer in a city pays for service in six key areas
• Notes from Meeting #2 (PDF)
  The group indicated the best slides were the ones where taxes paid were shown in total—for all taxing jurisdictions combined. It allowed them to see how much they are paying in property taxes—across the board—for major services. The idea of a "5-Year Business Plan" for government was suggested. The plan would consist of rules, which are in place for five years, and can’t be modified. This would include rules affecting property taxes (class rates, aid amounts, etc.), along with rules to guide funding for mandates.