Meet John Rosenau — Franklin County Assessor, running for reelection this November.
In this short intro, he explains what the assessor’s office actually does, shares his Columbia Basin roots, and lays out why he’s asking for your vote.
In this short Q&A video, Assessor John Rosenau addresses one of the most common misconceptions about the office: that the assessor raises property taxes.
John explains that the assessor’s role is to establish fair market and assessed values based on recent sales. Taxing districts—cities, schools, the county, fire districts, hospital districts, and others—set their own budgets. The assessor’s office then allocates those approved budgets across properties according to assessed value.
If Your Assessed Value Changes, Do Your Property Taxes?
John Rosenau explains that taxing districts set the dollar amount to collect, while the assessor sets property values and calculates levy rates. If everyone’s value rises and budgets stay the same, the tax bill stays about the same and the rate per thousand falls. If only one property’s value drops, that owner may pay less and others pick up a bit more so district budgets are still met. The assessor does not set taxes—only valuations, levy math, exemptions, and records.
Can Your Property Taxes Go Up When Your Value Goes Down?
John Rosenau explains that assessed value and property taxes move independently. Taxing districts set the dollar amount they need to collect, so a value change alone doesn’t dictate your bill. If your value drops while the district’s budget stays the same, your share may shrink and neighbors pick up the difference — or taxes can rise even when values fall, depending on levy rates and exemptions.
Change of Value Notices Are Coming — Here’s What They Mean
John Rosenau says property valuation statements go out at the end of August and should arrive in early September. Values are as of January 1, 2026. Taxing districts submit budgets by mid-December; the assessor then calculates each property’s share and sends that to the treasurer for 2027 tax statements in February. The notice is now two pages, not a 3×5 card. Please read it and call the office with questions.
Who Decides How Much Property Tax Gets Collected?
John Rosenau says no single person sets the tax total — and the assessor has no authority to decide how much is collected. City councils, county commissioners, and elected boards for fire, hospital, library, cemetery, and other districts each set their own budgets. Overlapping districts mean a Pasco property can pay several of them at once. Voters also decide through bonds and levies. The assessor calculates each parcel’s share from those budgets; elected officials and voters set the dollars.