Asssessors Approve Final Digest

The Tax Digest is an annual report of the total value of all property in the county, which has to be submitted to the state by all counties by August 1 each year.

During its regular monthly meeting last week the Jasper County Board of Tax Assessors unanimously approved the final digest, as presented by Chief Appraiser Lynn Bentley.
The final value of property totals, after the deduction of exemptions, came to a total of $452,416,046, an $8,092,514 decrease from the number reported in the 2008 Digest.

Even though the total value of homes, land and mobile homes, had an increase in value, the increase in exemptions resulted in a decrease in taxable property.

Some points of interest of the digest include:

•The Real Property Totals (land and homes) increased by $5,480,253.

•The number of motor vehicles dropped from 15,963 to 15,667, but the property value still increased by $212,040.

•Timber value decreased by $1,465,991 due to the market demanding less.

•Heavy Equipment decreased by $278,458 due to tax law change.

•The number of mobile homes increased to 410 from 392 reflecting an increase of $665,548 in property value.
Ms. Bentley also reviewed the 2009 tax law changes with the Board. Several of those are as follows:

•House Bill 143 (Appropriation of Home Owners Tax Relief Grant): This bill removes the state portion of the Homestead reduction. Any property with a homestead exemption will see an increase of $200-$300 regardless of what the local taxing entities do with the mill rates.
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•House Bill 233 (Moratorium on Valuation Increases): The bill states that for 2009, 2010 and 2011, property may not increase in value with the exceptions of real improvements to the property and correction of errors. The state will still expect appraisals to meet market value during this time period, whether it be decreases or increases. This means if a property’s appraised value increases due to market changes, it will still only be taxed on the 2008 appraised value.

•House Bill 304 (Inspection of Property): This law states that appraiser must give reasonable notice prior to inspections of property, however, is not specific on what “notice” consists of.

•Senate Bill 55 (Use of Bank Sales): This bill states that bank sales are to be used as one of the criteria in evaluating the fair market value.

Also, the Board unanimously approved the Exempt Application of Shiloh Baptist Church on 10 acres of land purchased last year, being used for recreation.

Conservation Applications were approved as follows: 10 continuations, three new, two renewals and one Forest Land.
The Error and Release Forms were also approved in four cases where the Fair Market Value was adjusted for varying reasons.

The board members scheduled their next regular meeting for July 9.