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Web posted Wednesday,
December 15, 2004
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Editorial: Reassessment frustration
completely understandable
Carolina Morning News
Part
of the frustration about the property tax
reassessment in Beaufort County is that impacted
citizens don't know exactly where to vent their
anger.
They want to be mad at local
officials, but that is not entirely
appropriate.
The county could have used
some guidance from state officials. First, it
would have been helpful if the state had told the
county whether it is legal to place a cap on
property tax reassessments. Second, the county had
to proceed with its reassessment - as required by
law - without knowing if Gov. Mark Sanford would
take action on a bill approved by the General
Assembly that seeks to limit property reassessment
increases to 20 percent.
Not knowing what
the governor would do, the county proceeded with
its uncapped reassessment, all the while preparing
separate notices in case the General Assembly's
cap became law.
From there, things only
grew more complicated.
A lot of citizens
are still wondering what hit them. Even the mayor
of Hilton Head Island, Tom Peeples, has written a
letter to the County Council chairman, Weston
Newton, pointing out: "We have heard from many
citizens that taxes substantially increased and
they have not found anyone on the island whose
taxes decreased. ... Do you know if there is going
to be a windfall, and if so what will be done with
the windfall?"
To its credit, the county
has tried to keep the public informed. Every piece
of property in the county is posted, along with
its assessed value, at the county's excellent Web
site. County Administrator Gary Kubic last month
posted a message on that same site coincidentally
entitled "There is no windfall."
But you
know your message is not being heard when a mayor
writes about his frustration.
There have
also been complaints that county workers have been
rude with those questioning the reassessment
process and its results. There is no excuse for
that. A lot of people have seen their taxes
increase to the point that they might have to sell
their homes.
In short, the public's
frustration is understandable, and county workers
should make sure they are understanding, even if
the mess is not entirely of their
making.
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