This is a report focusing on property tax rates. The Assessor determines the net assessed value of each property in the County and delivers an assessment roll to the Auditor by July 1st of each year. The Auditor then calculates the property's tax liability by multiplying the appropriate ad valorem (based on value) property tax rate by the net assessed value. Since the passage of Proposition 13, individual local jurisdictions no longer establish their own ad valorem property tax rate (tax rate). Instead, the State Constitution imposes a 1% general tax rate plus any voter-approved debt tax rates. Voter-approved debts are commonly thought of as "school bonds"; however, not all voter-approved debt in San Luis Obispo County are for schools. Voter-approved debts are generally passed by a 2/3 vote of the registered voters within the local jurisdiction. Following the passage of Proposition 39 in November 2000, certain school voter-approved debt has been authorized by a 55% vote of the registered voters within the respective school's boundary.

In addition, some local jurisdictions may place non-ad valorem (non-value based) direct charges on the tax bills. These direct charges are based on criteria other than value and do not have a "tax rate."  More information regarding the direct charges.

City and district boundaries throughout the entire State are maintained by the State Board of Equalization via the Tax Rate Area (TRA) system. This includes districts whose boundaries cross county lines (inter-county districts). Every piece of real property in the State is assigned to a TRA. A TRA identifies a specific geographic area comprising a unique combination of districts/cities for the current fiscal year (R&T §95 (g)). San Luis Obispo County has over 430 active TRAs. TRAs may be effective for certain tax years and not others. Each tax year is unique and individual.

TRAs in San Luis Obispo County have a numerical format of XXX-XXX, in which the first three digits (primary) represent the elementary/unified school district OR the incorporated city. Please note TRAs don't provide information on specific school attendance areas within a school district (intra-district boundaries). The intra-district boundaries are maintained by the individual school district, and subject to potential change at the school district bouard's discretion. Additionally, property located in more than one school district (where school boundaries cross through the property) may only show one school district via the TRA. Please contact the school district to confirm a specific property's school district and/or school of attendance.

TRAs are also used for a variety of other uses, including:

• Determine to which Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) to apply voter-approved general obligation debt service (G/O bonds)
• Determine how much new General Tax (1% Proposition 13) revenue each district receives (via a State required formula for property tax distribution)
• Determine the annual Assessed Valuation totals for each district
• Commonly used by districts as part of the process to administer their Direct Charges (non-value based items)
• Used by Elections Department to assist in determining the appropriate "districts" for voters

Under Revenue and Taxation Code §93, a tax rate may be levied against the net assessed value of each parcel in the tax rate area to generate sufficient money to make annual payments for interest and principal on general obligation bonds or certain other indebtedness approved by the voters.  The total tax rate for any TRA  is a combination of the Proposition 13 basic 1% tax rate added to any other voter-approved bond tax rate affecting the parcels within that TRA.