Scottsdale City Council is set to vote on next year’s property tax rates at its June 23 meeting. If you own a home here, now is a good time to understand what that means for your bill.
How Scottsdale’s Property Tax Works
Your annual property tax bill doesn’t come from one place. Scottsdale homeowners pay property tax to multiple overlapping jurisdictions: Maricopa County, the city of Scottsdale itself, school districts, and other special-purpose districts. The Maricopa County Treasurer combines those rates into a single bill. The median effective property tax rate in Scottsdale is around 0.47%, well below the national average of 0.91%.
What’s Happening on June 23
The city held a public hearing on its proposed tax levies at the June 9 Council meeting. The Council meets again at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, at Scottsdale City Hall’s Kiva Forum, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., where members are expected to formally adopt the new tax rates and levies by ordinance. If adopted, the rates would take effect for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.
What the Proposed Changes Include
The city’s proposed primary property tax rate of $0.4891 per $100 of assessed valuation may actually decrease to as low as $0.4801, largely because net assessed property values have risen across the city. In other words, the levy itself may grow modestly under state statute, but the rate per dollar of value could drop. These are related but distinct numbers, and the difference matters for what you actually owe.
The city also proposes adjustments to the Municipal Streetlight Improvement Districts levies, which vary by neighborhood.
How to Review the Details
Detailed rate schedules and supporting reports were posted on the city’s website in April and remain available at ScottsdaleAZ.gov. The June 23 meeting will be broadcast on Cox Cable Channel 11 and streamed live at ScottsdaleAZ.gov. Residents can find agenda details and instructions for submitting public comments under “Agendas & Minutes.”
Know Your Assessment
Before the vote, it’s also worth understanding how your bill is calculated. The Maricopa County Assessor estimates your property’s value and handles classifications, exemptions, and informal reviews, while the Treasurer sends the actual bill and collects payments. Seniors, veterans, and those with disabilities may qualify for exemptions that reduce the taxable value of their home. Check the Assessor’s website for current eligibility requirements.
The June 23 vote is routine, but it’s your tax bill. Knowing how the numbers work puts you in a better position to ask questions.
Lastly, it’s a well-built system that manages to lower your taxes without a massive fight. Many places around the country it’s the expectation is the opposite: your taxes will increase until you put up a fight. We should consider ourselves fortunate to live where we do.
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