INLAND EMPIRE – Hundreds of thousands of local homeowners are being notified this month that their property taxes are going down.

That comes on the heels of new assessment rolls that fell 4.5% in San Bernardino County, according to Assessor Dennis Draeger.

“We were predicting a larger decline than what actually happened. Property tax payers will see relief when the bills go out in September.”

Property values took double-digit drops in the desert cities of Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Adelanto and Hesperia.

For some property owners, the assessed value will drop a quarter-of-a-percent because of deflation. That’s the first time that has happened in California in 32 years. (INT)

Story Date: July 8, 2010