This article was in the paper today. How do they justify a 70% increase in value for tax purposes in Freeport? I went round and round with the Tax Collectors office for the 2006 taxes.
Were are the comps for this type of Tax increase???? ----
Freeport?s valuation grows by 70 percent
Land appreciation not as great elsewhere in Walton
By HEATHER CIVIL heatherc@nwfdailynews.com
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS ? Walton County will not see nearly as dramatic a jump in property values as last year because of the cool real estate market.
But Freeport will see another large increase in its valuation, according to preliminary tax roll figures.
The county Property Appraiser?s Office estimates Walton will have about $17.6 billion in taxable property value this year, an increase of 8.47 percent above last year.
Last year?s values increased 28.81 percent above 2005?s.
The percent increase is not nearly as impressive this year, but the numbers still show healthy appreciation, said county Property Appraiser Patrick Pilcher.
?It?s not what we?ve seen in the past five to six years, but it?s still an increase,? Pilcher said.
Freeport?s property tax values are expected to increase by 70 percent.
A good portion of the increase is attributed to almost $6 million in new construction.
The increasing property values are not necessarily an indicator that Freeport has escaped the effect of the real estate market, said Mayor Mickey Marse.
Property in Freeport was a hot commodity about two years ago, and a good part of the increased property values comes from projects that began then, he said.
?It?s in a slowdown right now,? he said.
Any increase in property values is a welcome one for cities and counties throughout the state as they face tax cuts.
Walton County must cut about $5.7 million from its budget to accommodate a state-mandated property tax reduction.
The county will have to roll back its millage rate to about 3.3 mills and will collect about $57 million in property taxes.
The county will take in about $2.5 million in taxes from an estimated $840 million in new construction.
Freeport will have to cut about $200,000 from its budget, maybe more.
The city has not yet figured out exactly what impact the tax cut will have.
New construction is the only area where cities and counties are allowed to increase property taxes based on projected growth.
Marse said the new construction will hopefully ease the pain of property tax cuts for Freeport. He still expects some belt-tightening, however.
?Maybe I?ll have something to do something with,? he said.
Daily News Staff Writer Heather Civil can be reached at 267-8300.
Were are the comps for this type of Tax increase???? ----
Freeport?s valuation grows by 70 percent
Land appreciation not as great elsewhere in Walton
By HEATHER CIVIL heatherc@nwfdailynews.com
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS ? Walton County will not see nearly as dramatic a jump in property values as last year because of the cool real estate market.
But Freeport will see another large increase in its valuation, according to preliminary tax roll figures.
The county Property Appraiser?s Office estimates Walton will have about $17.6 billion in taxable property value this year, an increase of 8.47 percent above last year.
Last year?s values increased 28.81 percent above 2005?s.
The percent increase is not nearly as impressive this year, but the numbers still show healthy appreciation, said county Property Appraiser Patrick Pilcher.
?It?s not what we?ve seen in the past five to six years, but it?s still an increase,? Pilcher said.
Freeport?s property tax values are expected to increase by 70 percent.
A good portion of the increase is attributed to almost $6 million in new construction.
The increasing property values are not necessarily an indicator that Freeport has escaped the effect of the real estate market, said Mayor Mickey Marse.
Property in Freeport was a hot commodity about two years ago, and a good part of the increased property values comes from projects that began then, he said.
?It?s in a slowdown right now,? he said.
Any increase in property values is a welcome one for cities and counties throughout the state as they face tax cuts.
Walton County must cut about $5.7 million from its budget to accommodate a state-mandated property tax reduction.
The county will have to roll back its millage rate to about 3.3 mills and will collect about $57 million in property taxes.
The county will take in about $2.5 million in taxes from an estimated $840 million in new construction.
Freeport will have to cut about $200,000 from its budget, maybe more.
The city has not yet figured out exactly what impact the tax cut will have.
New construction is the only area where cities and counties are allowed to increase property taxes based on projected growth.
Marse said the new construction will hopefully ease the pain of property tax cuts for Freeport. He still expects some belt-tightening, however.
?Maybe I?ll have something to do something with,? he said.
Daily News Staff Writer Heather Civil can be reached at 267-8300.