Buncombe County Has the Conversation No One Wants to Have: Property Taxes
“I have lived in and cared for my home for 22 years, during which time my property taxes have tripled,” said an anonymous commenter through a reappraisal survey, where citizens from Buncombe County, North Carolina, were asked about their thoughts and opinions on the property tax appeals and appraisals process. “I'm nearing retirement age and am concerned about taxes further increasing to the point where I may not be able to afford to live in my home as long as I would like to.” It’s comments like this, and push from The Just Accounting for Health Coalition (JAfH), that has inspired Buncombe county to host a series of events focused on giving locals a space to ask questions, and even receive assistance in filling out an appeal on their assessment.
“Everybody has the right to appeal and if you feel like you're over assessed, we want you to appeal,” said property tax assessor Keith Miller on their recent public engagement event endeavor: The Property Value Appeal Clinic. “We want to give you an avenue to [make an appeal] and do it comfortably, to where you don't feel like it's going to be controversial.”
(Source: Lanier Hagerty.)
Trends have been observed nationwide where residents in lower-valued homes are being overassessed, while residents in higher-value homes are underassessed, causing thousands of people to overpay on their property taxes. JAfH, a part of this national momentum of addressing property tax inequities, has been working to shed light on the Assessment Gap, researching and challenging Buncombe county in North Carolina to do their part in fixing inequitable assessments.
Many people throughout the United States qualify for an appeal or even property tax exemption—they just don’t know it. Through this series of events, Buncombe county addresses local knowledge of property taxes as they try to make the conversation more accessible to residents.
“There's maybe part of our residents who feel a little intimidated about coming to the government and maybe to the tax office,” said Miller. “They don't feel comfortable with it. So, what we have attempted to do is offer them another way.”
The assessor's office has partnered with Land of the Sky Association of Realtors and Pisgah Legal to conduct these events, which have been held in various locations (like grocery stores and libraries) throughout Buncombe county. Relator volunteers have been set up with tables, computers, and large signs inviting people to sit and learn a little bit more about their property taxes and how assessments work.
The Property Value Appeal Clinic in action. (Source: Buncombe County Assessors Office.)
“I don't want anybody to come away with the idea that they can't just call us about this, even if they don’t go to the clinic,” said Molly Maynard, an attorney with Pisgah Legal. “The clinic is a helpful path, but it's not the only path and people are welcome to call our front desk or do our online application.”
The assessor’s office will continue its relationship with Pisgah Legal even after these events, directing locals to their office for free assistance in appealing their assessment.
“Property tax literacy is extremely important and often overlooked,” said Lanier Hagerty, data analyst with Urban3 and JAfH advocate. “These clinics are a commendable and noteworthy effort to begin raising public awareness around assessment and appeal processes.”
The weight of a property tax bill is felt throughout the year as homeowners create budgets for their families, plan for future retirement, and use property-tax-funded services, such as public schools, hospitals, and parks. Those who are responsible for managing the property tax system are simultaneously responsible for a big part of people's lives. Buncombe is making good headway in bringing this conversation forward, and helping its residents better understand the property tax assessment process.
“What these clinics will not do, however, is close the assessment gap,” said Hagerty. “Not alone, at least. While higher volume of appeals and more public awareness may improve assessment data and tax literacy, it does not remediate algorithmic and systemic biases that are reflected in the tax assessment inequity we observe.”
The financial struggles of Houston and the cities of the Silicon Valley area—as well as tens of thousands of others across North America—have the same underlying cause.