1975-01-20 RM Exhibits;e r ~
4 F`
Gentlemen, I offer the following comments on our revaluation program
Since meeting on last Monday, January 13, 1975, with the Tax Administrator
and Cole-Layer-Trumble personnel, it has become apparent that something
is drastically wrong with the property valuations distributed to our
citizens last week These valuations are supposed to represent market
values of the properties as of January 1, 1975; but in case after case
reported to me, it appears that valuations have been set at ridiculously
high and unrealistic levels In going back over the sequence of events
leading up to these valuations, I find that it has been 15 months since
our Board of Commissioners approved the schedules of values, standards,
and rules to be used in appraising real property These values, standards,
and rules had been prepared and printed even farther back than that
Our Board was notified by letter from the Chairman dated October 17, 1973,
that the value schedules were in the office, that the material was
"extremely voluminous" and that we had three working days to review this
before approving it on October 24, 1973
As you all know, inflation was running wild in 1973 and the expectation
was that it would continue to do so The values which we approved in 1973
were those which could reasonably be expected to be valid in 1975
Unfortunately, since that time of approval, the bottom has quite literally
dropped out of the real estate market; therefore, those values are not
accurate reflections of market value as of January 1, 1975
If our Board allows these inflated values to remain, we will be creating
several undesirable possibilities (1) Persons who have been holding
wooded acreage as part of their properties will be forced to sell this
"green space" for development in order to pay their taxes (2) Elderly
people living on fixed incomes will suffer and may be effectively taxed
out of their homes and into public housing (3) We will be giving this
Board and the municipal Boards within our County a virtual "license to
steal" We simply cannot allow these possibilities to exist
The purpose of revaluation is that all property will be taxed fairly in
relation to other properties If we deal only with those situations which
are appealed, we would again be creating inequities Therefore, the solution
seems to lie in going back to the source of the problem and revising the
values upon which the valuations were based Since the properties have been
classified already, it should be a fairly simple matter to revise the schedules
of values and do a new computer run applying these values to the various
property classifications I believe our Board can legally do this under the
provisions of N C General Statute 105-322(g)(1) which allows the Board of
Equalization and Review on its own motion, as a result of its own review
of the "valuations, to revise them I, therefore, move that this Board direct
the Tax Administrator and Cole-Layer-Trumble Company to prepare a revised
set of values, standards, and rules, and to present this Board with new
valuations for property which will accurately reflect market values as of
January 1, 1975
MEMORANDUM
January 14, 1975
TO Mr Dan W Eller, County Manager
New Hanover County B,oa~rd of County Commissioners
FROM Larry J Powell ~,~'
Tax Administrator J 1~
SUBJ Abatements and Refunds
Request the following taxes be released as the taxpayers
reported incorrect information
1 Paul R Hader $ 23 46
2 Arthur J Lovan 56 66
3 Clene Town Coin Laundries 7 57
4 Mary A Hardin 17 35
5 Alfred E Woods 6 17
6 Joan J Murphy gg 7g
7 Jacob A Marshall, Jr 29 74
8 Clem's Mobile Homes 49 47
9 Miriam W Marks 20 51
The following taxpayers request they be allowed the
Senior Citizens' Exemption Each individual qualifies for this
exemption, however, they failed to file for the release in January
1 Sara Wortham $102 00
2 John J Kepley 118 00
3 Willie Vernon 38 35 (Refund)
4 Rufus Yow, Jr 102 00
Request the following taxes be abated as they have been
double listed
1 Billy King $ 2 12
2 Bayshore Estates, Inc 13 04
3 Simmons H Worth 51 Ol
4 Joseph Taylor 190 19
5 J W Taylor 24 48
6 Mike Jacobs, Jr 6 95
7 Ripwood Co , Inc 412 61
8 Frederick B Graham 48 62
9 Fred B Graham, Jr 49 77
10 Irvin G Clator 23 60
11 Harvey R Mills 23 11
12 Oneal Leasing Co 81 47
13 L J Hilburn 82 Ol
(Refund 185 84 )
(1973 & 1974)
(Refund)
(Refund 1972)
.~
Page 2
14 Rev Vincent S Waters $724 20
15 Charles E Stroud 6 52
16 Jacqueline B Evans 12 82
17 Patricia Brown 38 15
18 Marguerite L Bass 35 34
19 Marsden W Gore 72 94
The following religious and charitable organizations
qualify for tax exemption in accordance with General Statute 105-278
However, the organizations failed to file for relief during the
month of January
1 Trinity United Methodist Church $246 98 (1973)
2 Young Men's Christian Assoc 352 72
The following taxpayers request the 10% listing penalty
be released as they certify the listing forms were mailed during
January 1974
1 Barbara Todd $158 12
2 Letha McMillan 5 78
3 Ruth D Burnett 3 59
4 Ivey W McGee 7 03
Request the following taxes be released as these are
clerical errors
1 Cape Fear Club $249 21
2 Paul E Young 6 12
3 John 0 Brandstaetter 64 97 (1973)
4 Carl B Schutt 17 95
5 Lettie P Baker 8 89
6 George Losak 53 45
7 Katie B Hines 20 15
8 M C Brown 104 65
9 W Earle Beale 20 34
10 Billy H Armstrong 48
Request the following taxes be released as these individuals
do not reside within the city or town limits, or the personal
property is located within the county
1 International Brotherhood of $ 59 06
Electrical Workers
2 Theresa G Rouse 26 13
3 Michael E Rouse 45 38
4 Wilbur P Carter 75 31
5 Douglas Moss 30 94
6 Marshal C Weaver 30 31
7 Bobby L Watkins 38 75
8 James F Sullivan 34 72
9 Yvonne Lyde 58 75
Page 3
10 Brenda A Organ $ 31 08 (1973)
11 Morris E Merritt, Jr 72 82
12 George 0 Schneider 18 57
13 Byron H Thigpen 104 25
14 Michael S Winebar 51 44
15 Robert F Knowles 61 54
16 David F Collins 53 76
17 Raymond Williams 29 06
18 Verda M Roberts 2 53
19 James 0 Roberts 31 31
20 M W Gore 68 07
21 David J Clark 88 75
22 William M Bishop 46 33 (1973)
23 James H Lee 7 64
Request this item be placed on the agenda of the County
Commissioners` meeting of January 20, 1975
cc Mrs King
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LARRY J POWELL
Tax Administrator
RAYMOND E BLAKE, JR
Appraisal Supervisor
119 No Fifth St
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28401
NEW HANOVER COUNTY TAX COLLECTIONS
COLLECTIONS THRU DECEMBER 31, 1974
MAE B. STUART
Listing Supervisor
JANIE B. STRAUGHN
Collector of Revenue
762-0391
1974 1973
Regular Scroll Charges $6,510,471 59 $5,636,844 85
Discoveries Added 1,490,562 68 1,325,790 75
8,001,034 27 6,962,635 60
Less Abatements - 21,108 90 - 11,355 45
Total Taxes Due New Hanover Co 7,979,925 37 6,951,280 15
Total Collected -6,907,589 59 -5,878,699 58
Outstanding Balance 1,072,335 78 1,072,580 57
Percentage Collected 86 5% 84 50
Back Taxes
Real Estate Taxes $ 305,089 15 $ 361,200 30
Less Abatements - 16,374 62 - 5,152 95
Total Collections To Date - 88,513 94 - 88,665 79
Outstanding Balance 200,200 59 267,381 56
Percentage Collected 30 60 24 90
Personal Property $ 343,627 23 $ 319,437 58
Less Abatements - 33,847 29 - 207 98
Total Collections To Date - 23,880 18 - 26,461 31
Outstanding Balance 285,899 76 292,768 29
Percentage Collected 7 70 8 30
Total money processed through collection office for New Hanover County,
City of Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach
to date $10,810,736 31
This report is for fiscal year beginning July 1, 1974
Respectfully submitted,
IJ
Janie B Straughn
Collector of Revenue
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