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1 Comment [ View ]File appeals to ensure fairness
It's valuation-appeal season again in the Top of Utah. And it is proving to be just as chaotic as last year.
As Standard-Examiner reporter Loretta Park wrote, more than 500 property owners have appealed so far in Davis County. That's ahead of last year's pace. In 2007, more than 2,650 appeals were logged in Davis County, with 78 percent of appeals approved, reports Park.
With valuations up in other Top of Utah counties, it's likely Weber, Morgan and Box Elder are receiving their share of valuation appeals.
In Davis this year, about three-quarters of homes and businesses were reappraised. The Standard's Park reports that last week, Davis officials "approved the hiring of two Board of Equalization hearing officers to help with the appeals process." The county may hire another if necessary.
The 2007 appeals process in Davis County stretched to March 2008. "The county installed a new software system to do residential property valuations this year," writes the Standard's Park. The goal in Davis is to finish this year's appeals before the New Year.
Appealing can be time-consuming and detailed for homeowners, but if you feel your home is over-appraised, it's your responsibility to appeal. It's an important process in keeping your county government honest.
Appealing valuations you regard as too high is the only way to keep county officials accountable -- other than elections -- to the taxpaying citizens they represent. After all, it's your money the number-crunchers are juggling.
Valuations must be fair and accurate. Without impugning the integrity of our public servants, it's true that sometimes they get it wrong. Assessing tax valuations is no exception -- mistakes happen. It is imperative that all property tax valuations be correct.
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With property values dropping Nation wide, shouldn't property taxes be going down instead of up?
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