Craven residents anxious about recent increases in countywide property valuations can expect to get their tax forms in the mail sometime toward the end of July, according to Tax Administrator Leslie Young.
During a presentation on April 3, Young told the board of commissioners that she had set a target date of Thursday, July 20 to get the forms out to county residents.
In February, Young told the board that local property valuations would increase by an average of 42.03% after the countywide 2022 property reappraisal process, a reality that could increase property taxes for some residents.
Property taxes are calculated by multiplying the appraised value by the county tax rate, which will be determined during the board’s annual budget process in late spring and will become effective July 1, 2023.
During the board of commissioners March 6 meeting, Commissioner Dennis Bucher said the board planned to lower the county tax rate during their budget process to address concerns about the increase in property valuations.
The current county tax rate for fiscal year 2022-23 is $0.56 per $100 valuation.
Residents have until May 22 to file an appeal if they believe their property revaluation is incorrect. According to Young, the county tax office had received 1,232 appeals of individual property valuations as of April 3. She said based on the county’s 60,000 property parcels she had estimated 2,400 to 3,000 appeals would be filed but it now appeared that number could be lower.
“The bulk of the appeals come within 30 days, which would have been March 27…We’re not going to have over these next seven weeks the rush we had over the first 30 days,” Young said.
According to information from the Craven County Tax Office, the highest number of appeals, 372, came from Township 8, which encompasses both River Bend and Trent Woods.
Beginning this week, Young said she would be “tweaking” and adjusting the valuation estimates.
“It’s not a big adjustment, but Trent Woods in New Bern will certainly have the biggest adjustment in the valuation update,” she said.
Young said by May 1 the county would have received the majority of the appeals. She said by September the county should have a good idea of the number that will be filed with the state.
Young said she would come back before the board on June 19 to give an update on the revaluation process.
By Todd Wetherington, co-editor. Send an email with questions or comments.