At this point, most of us have received our property tax assessments from the Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR).  Let's face it, no way you slice it, not very many people enjoy paying taxes. For some though, there will be increases that may catch you by surprise and for others there may be slight decreases that also may come as a surprise.

We’ve received several phone calls and emails with one question – Why?

For those with a decrease, it is due to two factors – falling assessments and the Council’s cap of a yearly 10% increase in real property’s taxable assessment.

OTR has informed us that this year assessments are down an average of 5% on single family homes and more than 10% on commercial properties. With a lower assessment comes a lower tax bill. For those whose assessment has risen, the legislation enacted by the Council at the height of the sales boom that restricts real property taxation to no more than a 10% increase in the property’s taxable assessment each year, will afford some residents slightly lower real property taxes. But not all residential properties will see a decrease, and those that do, may only see a slight decrease.

For those with an increase, the answer requires a bit more information.

Many homes have typically enjoyed low tax bills over the last many years, and this year’s increase may be dramatic. Generally the less you have paid in the past, the more striking the increase will feel to you. This is due to a provision in the Mayor’s FY2010 budget that created a 40% floor on all residential property taxes.

With this change, homeowners who have historically paid on only a smaller percentage of the assessed value of their homes -- enjoying lower than normal tax bills for many years -- will now be required to pay taxes on at least 40% of the value of their homes.  For example, if a homeowner last year only paid on 15% of their assessed value, their tax bill this year will represent a sharp increase to what they paid last year, now at 40% of the value of their properties.  By comparison, most homeowners will continue to pay taxes on 60% of the assessed value as they always have. So even with the increase to a 40% floor, those taxes will be lower than the general population. 

Most of us, nonetheless, will continue to feel the pinch as the city continues to struggle with financial decisions in these tough economic times and faces a several hundred million dollar shortfall in the budget.

Our office is happy to provide more information and details, as well as help work with the Office of Tax and Revenue if you would like to explore one of the city’s several tax deferral programs.  Please call, 724-8072, or email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , and I will be happy to work with you.

Join neighbors tonight for a talk by Thelma Jones about the "Making of the Thurgood Marshall Exhibit". Below are details for tonight's talk: 

Join Us at Southwest Neighborhood Branch Library for an enlightening talk by Thelma Jones about the “Making of the Thurgood Marshall Exhibit” as it relates to his life and legacy as a pioneering Civil Rights Lawyer and the first African American Supreme Court Justice.

Thelma Jones is the volunteer Curator of the Thurgood Marshall exhibit at the Southwest Branch of
the DC Public Library. She is also the curator of an extensive Thurgood Marshall exhibit being held
at the Thurgood Marshall Center. Finally, Ms. Jones, a retired community outreach coordinator for
the World Bank Group, is very active in the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly and is an Advisory
Board Member and Staff Writer for the The Southwester.

Monday, March 8, 2010 at 5:30 pm.
Southwest Branch, DCPL 900 Wesley Pl SW (202)-724-4752
Refreshments will be provided

Councilmember Wells, in conjunction with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly and ANC 6D, is hosting a neighborhood meeting to discuss how Southwest and near Southeast neighborhoods can make safety improvements to M Street through what’s known as a “complete street.”

“Complete street” is a term of art for planning and renovating streets to reduce the number and speed of cars on the roadways, provide better pedestrian safety and access, and support alternate means of travel that connects neighborhoods. Currently, AARP and other advocacy groups strongly support the concept for the potential it holds to build better and safer streets for seniors, families and other pedestrians. AARP will attend to share its efforts to bring complete streets to more communities like ours.

Please join us to discuss the possibilities for M Street.

Date: Tuesday, March 9th
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Location: MPD First District Station, 101 M Street, SW

With DC's Marriage Equality law taking effect today, we wanted to provide an update with information from the Superior Court for any couples looking to get a marraige license. Below is information from the court and marriage equality advocates:

Because of the three business day waiting period required of all applicants for a marriage license, the earliest a marriage could be performed for an application made today could will be Tuesday, March 9.

If you live in Maryland, you can get married in DC and have your marriage honored in Maryland.

http://www.dccourts.gov/dccourts/superior/family/marriage.jsp

Marriage License Information

The minimum age for marriage in the District of Columbia is 18 years or 16 years with the consent of a parent or guardian. Proof of age for the applicant's must be shown and may be demonstrated by driver's licenses, birth certificates, passports, or similar official documents. The Marriage License Application fee is $35.00 (this fee will be waived if a Domestic Partnership Certificate registered under D.C. Code §32-702 is presented at the time of application). The Certificate of Marriage fee is $10.00. All fees must be paid by cash or money order (made out to Clerk, D.C. Superior Court) for the license to be issued.

The Marriage License Application must include social security numbers, addresses, dates of birth for both parties as well as previous marriage information, that is, the city, state, country of each marriage and the ending status of each, such as, by divorce or death. Home and work telephone numbers for both parties are also requested.

Religious celebrants and judges other than those of the D.C. Courts must be authorized by the Court and registered by the Marriage Bureau in order to perform legal marriages in the District of Columbia. The full name of the intended celebrant must be given at the time of the application for verification and placement on the license. Otherwise, a request for a Civil Wedding may be made and a clerk will attempt to schedule the marriage ceremony with a court official on or near the date you request, but not sooner than ten business days after your license becomes valid.

By law, three full days must pass between the day of application to the day that the license can be issued. The fee payment receipt is required to pick up the license. Marriage licenses are not issued by mail.

DC Marriage Bureau
Mondays-Fridays: 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m.
Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Room 4485
Washington, D.C. 20001
Phone: (202) 879-4840