Property Reassessment in Walker Co. Ordered by the State

If you own property in Walker county chances are you have already received a new assessment.
It’s been several years since the county updated its digest and values are generally higher.
Some homeowners say they didn’t know anything about the new assessment until the notice arrived in their mailbox.

TERRY GILREATH, PROPERTY ASSESSOR “We would really prefer the owner actually talk to us about it. We’ve handled some over the phone because they are able to give us some information about their home . There may be issues in the home we don’t know about.”

Terry Gilreath is fielding questions from property owners who are questioning their new assessment. He points out it was ordered by the Georgia Department of Revenue.

TERRY GILREATH, CHIEF PROPERTY ASSESSOR  “First of all we tell them that its not the commissioner’s fault..its not the tax commissioner..the tax commissioner has nothing to do with it. It’s that we haven’t been able to do all this work all these years..and now we are”.

COMMISSIONER BEBE HEISKELL, WALKER COUNTY  “Commercial property has not been revalued in 18 years, and the rest of the property hadn’t been revalued in 12 years.” “I have nothing whatsoever to do with the value of property. I can’t change it.”

Heiskell, who’s been sole commissioner for 16 years faces two opponents in the upcoming election.
Her office just sets the millage rate based on the digest from the assessors.
Heiskell says many residents are appealing their assessment to delay that.

COMMISSIONER HEISKELL  “These people who are trying to stop us from being able to levy taxes..I don’t really understand that. If they don’t want me back in office, they just don’t have to vote for me…but they don’t need to do damage to their own county..this is their county.”

Gilreath has been the assessor for 7 years. He says his office has added new employees to deal with 30-thousand pieces of property in the county.
Some residents did not see a big jump.

ROBEY TATE, CHICKAMAUGA  “Mine was a little bit lower this year..the only thing I asked them, since I’m 65..can I get a break on the taxes and they said yeah, I’d have to fill out some paperwork.”

The state doesn’t gain anything from the re-assessments, according to Gilreath.
This is the first year that there is no Georgia property tax.