The county tax assessor board (BOA) voted 3–1 Monday to ask the board of commissioners to “return complete control” of the chief appraiser and staff to the BOA by Jan. 1, 2009.
Board member Larry Stewart brought up the matter, saying he feels the appraisal office should be under the authority of the assessor board rather than the BOC.
“The time has come to put this issue to rest,” Stewart said.
The issue came up again last week during a called meeting of the BOC when Stewart and Chairwoman Samantha Garland both pointed out that chief appraiser James Flynt has told them that he works for the BOC, not the assessor board.
“This does not reflect on the current appraiser or his staff,” Stewart said, pointing out that the previous assessor board “signed away” its authority over the tax assessors’ office.
Board member Jim Escoe voted “no” to the move,” saying “what’s done is done, if it can be done now, why wasn’t it done then?”
Stewart will present the request to the BOC at its next meeting Monday night, July 14.
The BOA also agreed (3-1, Escoe voting “no”) to not send out tax assessment notices at the current digest figures, which contain an approximate $32 million decrease in property values.
Also, a proposal made by Stewart to request a review of the tax assessors’ office by the state Department of Revenue died in a tie (2-2) vote, after much discussion with Stewart and Bob Fowler voting “yes” and Escoe and Garland voting “no.”
Garland said she voted no in order to take more time to study the digest figures and the information Stewart gave her about the review. Escoe said he feels last year’s digest was too high and if there’s “any error (this year), it needs be on the side of the taxpayers.”
Stewart said a review could push the mailing of assessment notices to September and the completion of the digest to sometime in November.
Stewart said the board has been given various numbers and that he heard that a lot of property has been re-classified and received several sets of figures for this year’s digest.
“Now we’re $32 million down, and there’s suppose to be $30 million in new construction, but we can’t (get an explanation) on where it is,” Stewart said, adding that he’d be the first to give Flynt a round of applause if the figures were found to be correct.
“But, right now, I’m at my wit’s end trying to figure this out,” he said.
In other business, the BOA heard that appraiser Regina Coker rescinded her plans to resign July 31. Garland told Coker the board would supply any needed documentation to the county about her decision to stay on.
