Property values down 10%; county, school leaders calculating what impact it will have on budgets

The value of real property in Barrow County has declined another 10 percent since last year, according to the county’s chief appraiser.

Cecil Highfield informed county officials Tuesday afternoon in an e-mail that the market value of all real property throughout the county – agricultural, industrial, commercial and residential – had dropped by $438.3 million.

That translates into a $175 million drop in the “assessed value” on which property taxes are based, he said. Assessed value is 40 percent of a property’s fair market value.

The one-year decline is a little less than it was last year, when assessed values dropped by $188 million.

But since the start of the recession in 2008, the assessed value of real property in Barrow County has dropped by a whopping 23 percent. In 2008, it was assessed at $1.9 billion. Now it is at about $1.53 billion.

The final digest has not been completed. It also will include motor vehicles and other taxable properties.

However, the value of real property comprises about 85 percent of the digest and has the biggest impact on tax collections.

For the full story, see the June 22 issue of the Barrow Journal.

Comments

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#1 Jack Legg on 06/23/11 at 08:32 AM [Reply]

Thats funny, I dont think my taxes have gone down by that much.These elected "commisars" dont have a problem raising our taxes whenever times are good but they dont want to bring them down to match those falling values on the way back down.Kind of like gasoline prices that the "free market"cartels use to rip us all off at the pump.
I think that our tax assesed values should be going down at an equal rate dont you barrow?
It will soon be time to make some changes around here.
get a leg up in 2012

#1.1 Concerned about Jack on 06/23/11 at 09:05 AM [Reply]

Jack, I'm not sure why on Earth you continue to post under this surname when it essentially means you are an idiot. Literally. The first few times I saw you posting something I thought it was a joke and people even called you out on it. Now.. I'm not so sure. I'm beginning to think you may not realize why others are making fun of you. See below.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jack%20legg

#1.1.1 Jack Legg on 06/23/11 at 12:31 PM [Reply]

First of all the "urban"dictionary doesnt mean much to most people. Psst... we know what it means ok ?
Secondly I cant help what my momma named me, and believe me when I say that in my 46 years I have been way more insulted by way smarter people than you are amigo and Im still going strong.
Thirdly, what will you do in 2012 and beyond when people ask where you live and you have to tell them about Barrow County and who your commision chairman is ? Will you crawll under the table like a little worm and do anything you can to put distance between your almighty self and the land where Jack Legg is the county boss?
I encourage you top stop being so sensitive about how others view you, get a leg up in 2012.

#2 TickedOff on 06/23/11 at 10:23 PM [Reply]

Believe me there are many,many things more important than trying to insult Jack or impress us with your little attachment. Heres one of them. YOUR TAXES. Heres another. YOUR COMMISSION CHAIRMAN. And another. YOUR SCHOOOLS. Yet you question Jacks intelligence?
See below.

www.whocareswhatyouthinkconcerned.com

#3 RnW on 06/24/11 at 07:42 AM [Reply]

Speaking of school "leaders". I'm still waiting on a story regarding the pitiful CRCT scores.

#3.1 anon on 06/24/11 at 09:37 AM [Reply]

Really? Is this a pot that you want to get stirred up?

#3.1.1 RnW on 06/24/11 at 11:32 AM [Reply]

Ohhh, yea...it needs to be addressed. Yet, so far, nothing from the local papers.

#3.1.1.1 anon on 06/24/11 at 03:51 PM [Reply]

Barrow County's CRCT scores for 2011 are the highest they have been since 2006, when the new curriculum was adopted. I do not consider that as pitiful by any means.

#3.1.1.1.1 RnW on 06/26/11 at 04:48 PM [Reply]

24% of 8th graders fail math, 30% fail Science, and 26% fail Social Studies.....I don't know what your definition of pitiful is, but those scores are pathetic.

By all means, I'm not blaming the schools entirely those failures because, by what I witnessed when my child was in Barrow Co Schools, we do have a LOT of pitiful excuses for parents here in Barrow.

#4 MGJ on 06/24/11 at 01:49 PM [Reply]

Please don't open that door about teachers again. They are cried out. It is the parents faults. Remember the teachers rants?

#5 Jess on 06/24/11 at 03:59 PM [Reply]

Great news. Glad to hear values are down. Wonder what the low income 60 or older housing that is proposed is going to do? Certainly won't raise it! Stop making stupid zoning decisions and we can at least slow the declining value a little.

#6 KDOG on 06/29/11 at 08:49 AM [Reply]

It is all about accoutability and unfortunately until there are BOE members who are accountable to the parents and students and not to there family or business interest there will be no change in our schools. This is just the nature of the beast and the good ole boys want it that way. Thank goodness I can afford to send my child to a private school outside of Barrow County.

#6.1 Fortitude on 06/29/11 at 11:30 AM [Reply]

Me too. I can say out of those that ran, only one new person was elected and that was because the incombant did not seek re-election. People need to attend the meetings and understand what elected officials do for the BOE. I attended a few meetings this year and outside of voting on what the Super recommends, theres not a whole lot they can do, they dont run the system, the Super and her staff do. If people didnt want the same, why did they re-elect everyone ?

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Property values down 10%; county, school leaders calculating what impact it ...

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Property values down 10%; county, school leaders calculating what impact it will have on budgets

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