Recently, I was shocked when I opened an envelope from the county informing me that my home had increased in value by 100 percent in one year. Thus, my property taxes doubled as well.
I have learned that many homeowners in Carroll County received similar surprising appraisals.
Property reviews for residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial, and tax exempt properties are ongoing. There are over 56,000 parcels in this county. The Carroll County Board of Tax Assessor (CCBOTA) is charged with valuing all real and personal property. Neither the Mayor Cason nor the city council is involved in this process.
I want to be clear that the citizens who serve on the CCBOTA are honorable who freely give their time to serve the community. While I agree to disagree on these assessments, I am grateful for their service.
The assessments this year are just excessive.
Upon request, documentation can be provided that supports the value of the assessment. The taxpayer can request this information electronically at no cost. Email address is assessors@carrollcountyga.com
APPEAL PROCEDURES
The time to appeal is now. The more appeals that are supplemented with supporting documentation, such as an independent appraisal, to prove the market value of the property, the better negotiating position homeowners will have. Gathering comparative sales from the last four years can be helpful. I would also suggest speaking with a trusted real estate agent. We are fortunate to have a number of high quality real estate professionals in west Georgia.
I also want to be clear that the tax commissioner does not assess property nor set millage rates. The tax commissioner prepares and mails the tax bills and collects the taxes based on the values provided by the CCBOTA. Questions regarding bill calculations, return mail, late payments, interest, etc. should be directed to the tax commissioner at 770-830-5843 or taxcomm@carrollcountyga.com
A property owner must file a written appeal within 45 days of the notice date. The appeal must state the Owners election to appeal to the Board of Equalization, Hearing Officer, or Binding Arbitration. Appeals must be mailed (postmarked by USPS on or prior to the last day to appeal), emailed to appeals@carrollcountyga.com, or hand delivered.
By mutual written agreement, certain appeals may be sent directly to Superior Court. The Property Owner and the CCBOTA may mutually agree to a value and terminate an appeal at any point.
When you file an appeal, download https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/docs/Appeal%20Summary%202021-10.pdf for instructions and https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/docs/PT-311A_Appeal_of_Assessment_Form.pdf for the form.
Give an estimate of value, a reason why you are appealing the fair market value, phone number where you can be reached in case the appraisal staff has questions or needs to make an appointment for a property review, and sign the form.
When emailing an appeal, make sure that the appeal form is attached. Fill out the form entirely and sign. Only the owner can sign the form. If you are going to file an appeal for someone else, you must provide a Power of Attorney or a Letter of Authorization signed by the owner along with the appeal.
Email the appeal to appeals@carrollcountyga.com
If a resident is not at home when the appraisers visit, they will conduct an outside inspection and leave a card/door hanger informing the residents that they were there.
The appraisers will not go through or over a locked gate. They will leave a card/door hanger on the gate if feasible. If the resident has a locked gate, the resident is asked to call the Carroll County Tax Assessor’s Office Dept. at 770-830-5812 to schedule an appointment to meet the appraiser on site.
Again, I respect our public servants. But, excessive taxes that cannot plausible be justified by objective facts create a lot of problems. Foreclosures, instability in the real estate market, less money for our generous community to create jobs, less support for non-profits, and a decline in business investment are just some of the probable consequences if we do not appeal these assessments.
Residents with any question are asked to call 770-830-5812
Time is running out. Please join me in getting these appeals filed this week.