Tift Co. residents attend town hall meeting on property tax re-evaluations
TIFTON, Ga. – Hundreds of Tifton residents are upset about a property re-evaluation that has been reported to be more than double what they’ve been in years past.
The City of Tifton and Tift County Tax Accessor’s Office held an emergency Town Hall Meeting Saturday morning as hundreds of residents want answers about the value of their property.
Tifton Mayor Julie Smith, and Chief Appraisal Officer, Hayward Becton fielded questions from residents as properties hadn’t been re-assessed for nearly 20 years…
Which could see property taxes more than doubling…
Leading some to be understandably concerned.
“We’re paying $14 thousand to live in my own house. Now, what do y’all think is going to happen to my house? We’re gonna have to sell it. Because, I can’t afford to pay that. D*** if I’m gonna go back to work just to pay taxes. It ain’t gonna happen!” said Faye Lowe, resident.
“What we really need is a County, and a City, and especially Hayward to say, ‘let’s run this up to the State of Georgia and GMASS, does somebody they have to answer to.’ Otherwise, they wouldn’t be authorized to work…” said Daniel Miller, resident.
The reassessment of Tifton properties was triggered because of ratios in regards to agriculture, residential, commercial, and industrial properties became imbalanced.
With Tift County’s Chief Appraisal Officer explaining what would have happened if they didn’t re-evaluate.
“If we had not re-assessed values, that next letter we would have gotten, we would have been fined. When I say ‘we’ that’s we. That’s all of us who pay taxes in Tift county, by the State of Georgia, every single year until you’re compliant,” said Hayward Becton, Tift Co. Chief Appraisal Officer.
That’s why in fielding concerns from Tifton residents, Mayor Smith has discussed a plan to try and ease the strain some may be feeling with the value of their property.
“So, we will be rolling that millage rate back. Now I don’t have any county representatives here, but I’ve spoken at length with County Commission Chairman, McBrayer, and he has assured me the county is going to be rolling that millage rate back. So, you have three options, three things today, as we are all angry and frustrated with this process…” said Mayor Julie Smith, City of Tifton.
While many in the county are understandably upset over the property valuation, the City and the County are still trying to answer the questions of Tift residents.
Mayor Smith and Chief Appraisal Officer Becton encourage those with concerns to contact the Tift County Tax Assessor’s Office at 229-386-7840.
Brian Roche reporting.
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