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Deadline to appeal reassessment is Jan. 10
By MARVIN HAMLETT/Editor
Tuesday, January 8, 2008 4:13 PM EST
All Appomattox County residents should have received their reassessment notices in the mail last week, and residents have until Thursday afternoon to appeal the notices.
Harold Wingate of Wingate Appraisal Service told the County's Board of Supervisors on Monday that approximately 240 citizens have appealed their reassessments.
"Through four days of hearings, we're averaging 60 per day," Wingate said.
He added that his company is providing about four people to listen to citizen appeals.
"They're there to assist them so nobody has to wait too long," Wingate said.
Most citizens saw their land and property values double, compared to the last reassessment six years ago.
Citizens can appeal their reassessments by going to the Appomattox Community Center on Wednesday, Jan. 9 or Thursday, Jan. 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Citizens may also call 352-3563 for an appointment, although walk-ins are accepted.
Many citizens have experienced huge increases in this year's reassessment, primarily due to the County's assertion that the most recent reassessment six years ago was too low.
To compensate for the low reassessment six years ago, citizens are seeing a larger-than-normal estimate on their real estate and property.
Ideally, Wingate said his company has tried to estimate land and properties so that it matches fair market values.
The revenues generated from reassessment will force the Board of Supervisors to equalize the amount in a reduction on the tax rate.
The equalization will likely take Appomattox's real estate tax rate from 76 cents per $100 of assessed value to the low 40-cent range.
At that point, the Supervisors must determine whether or not to impose a tax increase.
So far, Wingate said the reassessment has gone smoothly.
"I'm pleasantly surprised," he said. "Everybody has been super nice."
Wingate said he expects to hear from citizens who believe their reassessment was estimated too high.
"But the ones I worry about are the ones who have got a problem and do not come to appeal it," he said. "... Not everybody's happy, but I'm not hearing much about the market, I'm just hearing about the increase. This is going very well. There are a few people upset, but for most people, we let them know we're willing to listen."
In a press release submitted to the Times-Virginian last week, the Wingate company stated, "As expected, there will be some large increases over the current assessments. We must remember this increase covers a six-year period, with the last reassessment being conducted in 2001, effective for 2002."
The press release continued, "As most property owners are aware, rural acreage properties have experienced a tremendous increase in market value in recent years. This is true, not only in Appomattox County, but in other Virginia rural counties as well. Consequently rural land, and particularly acreage tracts, will show a much larger increase in value than residential or commercial properties.
"Property owners should be aware that the basic requirements of a reassessment are to bring all assessments to current market value and equalize assessments with similar properties. Amount of increase is not, of itself, indicative of an erroneous assessment."
Wingate said he encourages property owners to compare their assessments with similar properties in order to determine if the assessments are fair and equitable.
"If you feel your assessment is out of line with similar properties, or over market value, it should be brought to the Assessor's attention along with supporting facts, which can be used in reconsidering your assessment," he said. "Percentage of increase above the old assessed value is not, by itself, grounds for an appeal. Please remember the last reassessment was six years ago and does not represent today's market value."
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