Baldwin Property owners face higher taxes

Published by the Mobile Press Register

Property owners face higher taxes

Thursday, August 02, 2007

By DAVID FERRARAStaff Reporter

BAY MINETTE -- Baldwin County property owners can expect to pay an average of 30 percent more in taxes this year, according to the latest round of appraisal notices.
A boom in new subdivisions along the Eastern Shore and in the central part of the county caused the increase in property values, said Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner Phil Nix.

The notices dated Wednesday and mailed to about 135,000 residents come on the heels of recently revealed reports from the state Department of Revenue that show Baldwin had more inconsistent assessments than any in the state. Officials have said that has cost the county millions of dollars.

Inaccurate assessments in at least three affluent communities resulted in Baldwin forfeiting more than $10 million in state and local revenue, according to the 2006 state reports. The documents compared actual sale prices to appraised values in Fairhope, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan between Oct. 1, 2004, and Sept. 30, 2005. In one area, the reports revealed that a single property exceeded the county's appraised value by $6.4 million.

Nix had blamed the skewed figures on out-of-date computer software. But the numbers concerned some county officials so much that they asked for a state review of the Baldwin County Revenue Commission's work. If flaws are found, that means annual tax assessments could rise even higher in years to come.

The letters mailed this week are strictly notices, Nix said, so that property owners can prepare appeals if they believe one is warranted. Tax bills will be mailed Oct. 1.
The county expects to collect about $154 million from this year's appraisals. That's an increase of $35 million over last year's $119 million from appraisals.

On the other side of the bay, Mobile County Revenue Commissioner Marilyn Wood said she would not know the total appraisal increase in Mobile County until this fall, when appeals are dealt with. She said she expected a 5 percent increase in property appraisals countywide.
Back in Baldwin County, after being flooded this week with calls from constituents, state Reps. Steve McMillan, R-Gulf Shores, and Joe Faust, R-Fairhope, held a news conference Wednesday to remind property owners that they only have 10 business days to appeal the assessment.

"There's gonna be bushels of them, based on the calls I've gotten throughout the county," he said. "I think there may be some inconsistencies. I just want people to be treated fairly and equitably. When you've got examples of a next-door neighbor not having their property appraised for five years, it's hard to explain why they'd have to pay higher taxes."


"There's gonna be bushels of them, based on the calls I've gotten throughout the county," he said. "I think there may be some inconsistencies. I just want people to be treated fairly and equitably. When you've got examples of a next-door neighbor not having their property appraised for five years, it's hard to explain why they'd have to pay higher taxes."
The first round of written appeals are due by Aug. 15, but do not need to include documentation, Nix said.

Nix pointed out that the assessments were based on evaluations from Oct. 1, 2005, to Sept. 30, 2006 and prices since those dates would not be affected by the latest appraisal. For owner-occupied residential property, the assessed value is 10 percent of the fair market value. Commercial, rental or vacant property is assessed at 20 percent.

"They complained we were leaving money on the table. Now they're all hollering that we're over-killing everybody," Nix said of the state reports and later accusations that this year's assessments were too high. "They want the cake, but they don't want the indigestion, I guess."
Forms for appealing property tax appraisals are available at the Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner's office, or online at www.Revcomm.co.baldwin.al.us under "Forms/downloads."
The deadline is Aug. 15. Anyone wishing to appeal can send the form to:

Baldwin County Board of Equalization
P.O. Box 1389
Bay Minette, AL 36507-1389