Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. has issued the following statement after the Board of Equalization’s decision today to extend the formal appeal deadline to September 3, 2019:

“The County understands the Board of Equalization’s decision to extend the formal appeal deadline. We will continue to work with the Board through this process to ensure that all property owners are heard. Under the leadership of Gail McCann Beatty, our assessment department diligently continues its efforts to process informal reviews and will recommend any adjustments to property values, where appropriate, to ensure accuracy, fairness and equity.

Additionally, it is important to note that property owners are not appealing their tax bill. The process gives property owners the right to file an appeal to dispute their fair market value as determined by the assessment department, not their tax bill. Tax bills are not final and furthermore, the assessor is not a tax collector, does not set the tax rate and does not determine the amount of taxes a property owner pays. Again, the assessor’s job is to determine fair market value and make sure every property tax dollar is assessed equally so property owners are not paying more than their fair share. As this reassessment process moves forward, fulfilling that state-mandated duty remains our priority.”

After its initial vote today, the Board of Equalization (BOE) reopened its motion to extend the formal appeal deadline to take into consideration the Labor Day holiday weekend. Therefore, the deadline to file a formal appeal to the BOE is Tuesday, September 3. Please see the attached resolution signed by the BOE.