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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Revaluation Appeals Begin

By Megan V. Williams

Wilmington, NC – New Hanover County property owners unhappy with their new tax values have started the process of appealing those decisions.

New Hanover County commissioners will hear individual appeals to the property tax revaluation through the summer, starting this week with 44 cases from Figure Eight Island and working their way down the county.

Most of the island's property owners argued that beach erosion has reduced the size of their lots. Commissioners voted to reduce tax values for about half of them. Tax Administrator Bob Glasgow says his department will make note of the changes.

It's a temporary reduction, in the event that it fills back up, or it renourishes, then of course that value can be put back to where it was originally.

Glasgow says his department has about 5,000 appeals pending, but that he only expects a fraction of those to pass the first stage in the process.

The common element seems to be, can't afford the taxes. And unfortunately that's really not a valid excuse.

Glasgow says that some appeals may be withdrawn when the city and county set their tax rates for next year - proposed budgets for both governments stay close to revenue-neutral rates, which will keep many property owner's taxes from rising.

Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@whqr.org.