Macon County Commissioners Work session Considers Pros and Cons of Property Tax Revaluation

On Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 5.30pm, the Macon County Commissioners met to consider whether or not to begin the Property Revaluation process this year or hold off to see if the economy begins to recover. Chief among the commissioners concerns was that a revenue neutral revaluation now would mean increased taxes for the bulk of Macon County taxpayers, a move that would hurt those with the lowest valued property the most.


It is my opinion that the Commissioners will vote to not launch a property revaluation at this time. 


Here is the full video of that meeting, followed by a copy of the presentation that County Tax Officer Richard Lightner displayed during the meeting to illuminate what he was saying and a listing of the tweets I sent out during the meeting in reverse chronological order:













Here is the power point presentation that Macon County Tax Officer Richard Lightner displayed during his time at the podium:
Macon County Revaluation Info 2011

Here are my tweets from the meeting in reverse chronological order:

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The Macon Co Commissioners have gone into closed session to disc property acquisition. No decision is expected. I'm headed home

6.57pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Commissioners are taking the time to spell out where they stand on property revaluations for the press to relay to the public

6.52pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The Macon County Commissioner's comment in that last tweet was Kevin Corbin.

6.45pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Macon Co Commissioner said this is the 1st time in memory that they've had to deal with decreasing property values

6.44pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov It sounds like the Macon County Commissioners are going to put off property revaluations for a year or two.

6.43pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Lightner has told the Commissioners the latest his office needs to know to go forward or wait on property revaluations is late Oct

6.40 pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Commissioner Ronnie Beale is describing the County's excellent record in winning cases on the Board of Equalization & Review

6.34pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Richard Lightner, Macon Co Tax Officer, says that home values have dropped an average of 30%, so taxes would have to increase 30%

6.28pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Macon Co Commissioner Bobby Kuppers said that a property revaluation now will hurt the lowest income brackets worst

6.26pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Commissioners Kevin Corbin: Macon Co has cut their budget from $49 mln to $42 mln over the past few years

6.23pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov There are no members of the public at this work session. Just county employees & 5 Reporters twitpic.com/6ows8f

6.20pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Richard Lightner says a revenue neutral property revaluation would result in tax bill increases for most lower value properties

6.14pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The County Tax Officer is going thru another laundry list. This one the pros & cons of a reval in 2013 vs 2015

\6.09pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The County Tax Officer is going through a laundry list of examples of how house value changes affect tax rates

6.06pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Lightner says that beginning in 2013, residents will pay state tax on their vehicles when they get their tags.

6.03pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Richard Lightner says that the tax collection rate in Macon Co is between 97.5% & 98%, one of the higher rates in the state

6.01pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The County Tax Officer says that the revenue neutral target is $26 million.

6.00pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov County Tax Attorney says that 54% of that number are foreclosures or tax sales.

5.56pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Richard Lightner says that MLS Home Sales are a third of what they were in 2006.

5.55pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Richard Lightner says that the state mandated date for Macon Co property revaluation is Jan 1, 2015

5.51pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov County Tax Officer, Richard Lightner, is presenting a power point on the property re-evaluation process

5.44pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov McClellan said that the housing crisis has gotten even worse than anticipated

5.42pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Chairman McClellan said that with the housing crisis, there are thoughts regarding, putting off the next re-eval until 2013.

5.41pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov Brian McClellan, Chairman of the Macon Co Commissioners, is giving a background on past property re-evaluations

5.40pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The County Attorney, Chester Jones, & The Finance Officer, Evelyn Southards, had brief items that the Commissioners approved

5.39pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The Commissioners will be having a short closed session tonight regarding property acquisition

5.37pm 

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The Macon County Commissioners are now in session.

5.36pm 

»

wpig Bobby Coggins 

#MaconGov The Macon County Commissioners are about to begin their work session on property re-evaluations. twitpic.com/6ow7vy

5.30pm