The Piedmont Chronicles
So I was supposed to do a Sunday Edition yesterday. Didn't happen. Been busy & all. But, I'm here now.
So what's the word around town?
AD VALOREM TAXES GOING UP, UP, UP!
Well, it's that time of the year again. Property tax bills are hitting mailboxes. And you thought last year was bad...
I've always looked at the whole Board of Assessors/Tax Assessor thing with a bit of a cynical eye.
As with most forms of government, lack of individual responsibility seems to be key. They have a very sophisticated methodology that no one seems to really know, exactly, what that consists of. Sure, it's based on recent sales activity, but there are other factors involved. It s almost reminiscent of the ole Confidence Trick. You pretty much have all the components - The foundation. The set-up. The Hurrah & everything. Edward Smith, the consummate confidence (con) man would be proud. He probably wishes he'd gotten in on the ultimate game - politics & government.
As we've seen countless times over the last couple of decades, the big thing about "fair market value" as it relates to our county government is the flexibility afforded. De facto tax increases. We've seen it time & time again. It's as American as baseball & apple pie.
But this year things have apparently gone off the tracks. I don't know if they're smoking rocks in that tax office or what. We now have verified multiple instances of property taxes DOUBLING or MORE THAN DOUBLING! This is NOT possible. Those in the various fields of real estate & finance know that values have been trending up, but this is outrageous & IMPOSSIBLE!
Also, one has to wonder if the usual suspects will continue to have very low market & corresponding assessed values? Seems likely. It's been that way for years.
There's a lot to this, folks. We will be working on this story.
BOC Meets on Tuesday the 1st.
From a fellow community watcher:
3 proposed county ordinances are back on the Newton County BOC agenda this week, May 1, 2018.They are: O-030618A concerning Massage & Spa Establishments, O-030618B concerning regulations of the sale of non-traditional tobacco paraphernalia &use of E-cigarettes, and O-o3o618C concerning prohibition of the sale, manufacture, use, delivery, purchase, possession or distribution of unregulated marijuana substitutes.
Last time these came before the board they were so laughably terrible that as soon as folks actually took the time to read them - and this includes members of the BOC - they were pulled from the agenda. We assume that they've been redrafted as to not be illegal or unenforceable, but...you know how that goes. I'll call Ms. Jackie first thing in the AM to get the exact verbiage. So, for the record - creating an ordinance to stop animal cruelty can't get any traction with the BOC, but charging stores $1,000 to sell a pipe, or - at least in the case of last time around - banning Grandma's potpourri can.
We'll be in touch. Thanks for reading.
