Assessments

Assessments

lead to weeks

of appeals

By MARKSCOLFORO

Rappahannock News Staff Writer

The Rappahannock Board of Assessors has already heard 260 appeals from county property owners, and expects appeals to continue until Nov. 6, according to Col. E.P. Luke, chairman.

There are more people lodging appeals than there were following the 1988 assessment, said Col. Luke.

He said a few of the appeals have resulted in minor adjustments, but by-and-large most of them have'not. He said the changes that are made have not been dramatic.

Common complaints, said Col. Luke, come from property owners who would gladly sell for the assessed price, from those who don’t understand why smaller parcels are worth more per acre and from people who don’t like the land-use roll-back tax system in the county.

“Quite a few say that rich folks have an advantage because of land use,” said Col. Luke, but he pointed out that the Board of Supervisors, not the Board of Assessors, instituted land-use.

He also pointed out that the assessors don’t go inside homes, but make their valuations based on the square footage, condition of the property, size and location of the land.

“We also point out that we’re landowners in the county too. The assessments were done by a company under contract to the Board of Supervisors,” Blue Ridge Assessments out of Staunton.

“They have no ax to grind whatsoever,” said Col. Luke.

“I think it’s as fair a method as you can have, the way we have to do it,” he said.

No more appointments are being taken by phone, it now requires a letter specifying the reason for the appeal. Call 675-1403.

Following the Board of Assessors final appeal, the Equalization Board, appointed by the Board of Supervisors with approval by Circuit Court Judge W. Shore Robertson, will begin its appeal process. That will start sometime at the end of this year and go into 1992, said CoL Luke.