Sunday, May 31, 2009
Editorial: Overhaul Pulaski's reassessment process
One man has some smart ideas about how to improve appraisals.
From the RoundTable blog
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Andy McCready knows a thing or two about property reassessments. He headed Pulaski County's Board of Equalization during the most recent round of appraisals. When he says the system is broken, the county should listen.
Many county residents were outraged a few months ago when the county announced new property assessments. They complained that the values had been set too high.
Much of the sticker shock could be traced to the fact that the county waits five years between reassessments. Values are going to jump over that long of a period, even during a recession.
McCready points out other problems, though. He is especially concerned about vague terminology that allows too much subjectivity to enter into the process. Terms such as "lake influence" are nowhere precisely defined.
He also would like greater supporting documentation for appraisals, such as photographs.
Other changes McCready suggests are more about engaging the public. He'd like the county to contact property owners earlier in the process and better explain how reassessment works, for example.
And maybe the county should stop contracting out the reassessments. Pulaski County, with 24,000 properties, might be large enough to support its own appraisers or at least share some with nearby counties.
Now is the best time for county leaders to consider changes. The turmoil of the last round remains fresh in people's minds and will focus public interest in the subject. In addition, there will never be more time until the next reassessment.
The system isn't broken, but there is room for improvement. Shorter intervals between reassessments, clearer rules and so on could make appraisers' jobs easier and increase public understanding of how the whole system works.
