Ashley O'Donald
Senate Bill 346 passed through both the house and senate earlier this year, and is awaiting the governor’s signature. If made law, the bill will require that property owners receive an annual assessment notice.
“I think it’s a good thing for taxpayers,” said county Chief Appraiser, Ashley O’Donald.
O’Donald said that each property owner will now receive an assessment notice each year regardless of value change.
“Property owners will now have to right to appeal every year,” he said.
O’Donald admits that this will be a big adjustment, not only for Gordon County but surrounding counties as well. However, he believes that the new assessment system will prevent some of the billing issues that the county experienced after last year’s reevaluation notices were sent out.
The new billing system will determine the assessment by taking a property owner’s current millage rate and multiplying it by the current year’s assessment.
O’Donald also said that the bill also mandates a statewide billing standard, meaning each bill from each county looks exactly the same in format.
“This will cut down on confusion when comparing property values,” O’Donald said.
Budget increases
However, the new bill brings with it a significant budget increase to the assessors department due to increased assessment frequency.
The amount earmarked for postage has also increased from $6,000 to $18,000.
“Obviously it is going to affect every county’s budget,” Donaldson said.
The funds earmarked for purchased services such as telephones, copiers and postage, however, has seen an overall reduction of $68,000 from the 2009-2010 budget to the 2010-2011 budget.
The tally for the county’s 100 percent reevaluation last year has totaled up quickly. During the May 18 meeting of the county’s Board of Commissioners, the board voted to approve $32,000 in overtime for the board of appeals for the time spent addressing 2009 appeals.
The overtime expenses will fall under the 2009-2010 budget. Initially only $3,000 was earmarked for overtime. In the 2010-2011 budget $20,000 has been allotted for overtime.
The assessor’s office will also hire a mediator to hear appeals year round at the cost of $40,000, according to the published 2010-2011 budget.
The total proposed budget for the tax assessor’s office is $680,146, including salaries and other expenses.
If the digest goes up and the milage rate is not rolled back to equilize, there is a tax increase.
My opinion is if more taxes are levied, taxes have increased requardless of a milage rate decrease. Milage rates is what politicians use to make you feel good, taxes are what they live on.
Ref: Atlanta Journal
“With the passage of SB 346, we will protect taxpayers from unfair assessments and guarantee the right to appeal,” Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock said). “While this is a huge victory for Georgia property owners, it’s only part of the solution to providing a system that actually works With the passage of SB 346, we will protect taxpayers from unfair assessments and guarantee the right to appeal.”
I think this is the big changes I think our Chief Appraiser may have been talking about...
Remind administrators no sympathy for bloated budgets, too generous public pensions and throwing away taxpayer money when we can’t afford it.