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Skyrocketing assessments spark ire in residents
by
Mike Hodge
AUGUSTA COUNTY— Skyrocketing reassessments in Augusta County have gotten residents involved in their government once again. The average increase of 27.7% has taken home and land owners by surprise and they have vaulted into action. Over 600 recently attended an organizational meeting to see what they can do to have their reassessments lowered. The average reassessments in Staunton and Waynesboro increased around four percent.
Churchville attorney Francis Chester is working with the group, Augusta Homeowners United Against Unfair Reassessments. In fact, Chester says if the Board of Supervisors do not vote to lower the reassessments back to the 2005 rate at their March 11th meeting, he will file a class action lawsuit against the county. Petitions are being circulated in various locations throughout the area for Augusta County residents to sign and show their disapproval of the hike in home and property values. Supervisor Tracy Pyles is the lone member of the Board that is talking to the group and expressing support.
The local company that did the reassessments, Blue Ridge Mass Appraisal, stands behind the work. Controversy has followed this company before in Bath County and Gloucester County. The median income in Bath County is $23,000 a year, but after some residents saw their property values go up as much as 1000%, some congratulated each other on being millionaires. After the public outcry, the Board of Supervisors terminated the contract with Blue Ridge Mass Appraisal and went with their previous assessments. Some of the same issues arose in Gloucester County four years ago but the Supervisors there honored the contract. They now do their appraisals in house.
The Valley American did some research to see how much the assessments of some local county officials went up, including the Board of Supervisors. The results follow: Assistant County Administrator John McGehee saw an 18.82% increase: BOS member Gerald Garber saw the biggest increase of any supervisor at 144%. He also had an increase of nearly 21% on another property listing; David Beyeler saw a 19.85% increase; Tracy Pyles, 20.7% increase; Wendell Coleman a 32.4% increase; Nancy Sorrells a 41% increase on a dwelling listing and around a 80% increase on land; Larry Howdyshell had numerous listings and saw increases ranging from about 20% to 105%. The Valley American found no listings for BOS member Jeremy Shifflett and County Administrator Pat Coffield. All of the above information is available to the public on www.vamanet.com . This is the website that Augusta County’s site directs you to.
County resident Brian Plemmons was surprised and angry when he got his reassessments. He owns land in Middlebrook and near Craigsville. Both properties are zoned agriculture. His land in Middlebrook had an increase of 140% and his land in the Craigsville area rose 100%. “I can’t believe that agriculture land is being appraised at $6,000 or more an acre. A farmer can’t buy land for this and be profitable. There’s no rhyme or reason for this.”
Petitions are available at the following locations: Tractor Supply, Zelma’s, Jiffee Mart, Memorial Baptist Church and Obaugh Pontiac-Buick-GMC in Staunton; Eavers Tire and 7-11 in Fishersville; Obaugh Chevrolet Buick, Bookkeeping and Management, Ace Gift Store-Academy of CE, Inc, Mark Martin’s Auto World in Waynesboro; Jake’s Convenience Store, Riverside Grocery, and T-Bone Tooter in Churchville; The Donut Shop and Eavers Amacco in Stuarts Draft; Greenville Trading Post in Greenville; The Junction in Buffalo Gap; Deerfield Convenience Store, Deerfield; West Augusta Convenience Store, West Augusta; Middlebrook General Store, Middlebrook; New Hope Grocery, New Hope; Chancellor Stone, Gertie’s Store, Vesuvius; Midway Machine & Parts, Steeles Tavern; Augusta Coop, Fairfield. A petition was available at the Churchville Library until county officials removed it.
Comments? Email us at letters@thevalleyamerican.com.
© 2009 The Valley American
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