Scott N. Miller
smiller@vaildaily.com
Eagle County, CO Colorado
EAGLE, Colorado The first round of appeals is over, and thousands of county property owners had their property values adjusted. But more didn't.
Eagle County Assessor Mark Chapin Tuesday gave a required report to the Eagle County Commissioners about the first round in property value appeals for this year.
If it wasn't a record, it was close, Chapin said of the number of appeals his office received this year. Chapin's office is held by law to a formula that calculates property values based on market information gathered last year. Of course, values have dropped since then, leading many property owners to protest their values and, by extension, their property tax bills.
Beside land and home owners, several residents protested the value of their personal property, a tax levied on business equipment. While the county's real estate values dropped, Chapin said personal property appeals actually ended up increasing the value.
Those appeals have kept the assessor's office staff and five hearing officers busy for nearly a month so far, and a few weeks of work remain.
People whose initial appeals were denied can appeal once more at the county level, to the County Board of Equalization. That's where the hearing officers are doing their work.
While property values can be a touchy subject, lead hearing officer Deanna Tuley said she's heard good things from most of the people she's talked to.
What I've heard most is they appreciate the work the assessor's office did, Tuley said. We started two weeks earlier than in the past thanks to their work and the work of the attorney's office. People are courteous they just want to get their information on the table.
The people who have continued their appeals have also had reasonably good success with the hearing officers. Of the 230 recommendations the hearing officers have made so far, 151 are for value adjustments.
The Board of Equalization appeals have to be finished by Aug. 5. The commissioners will be asked to accept recommendations in batches through that date.
Vail Daily Business Editor Scott Miller can be reached at 970-748-2930 or at
smiller@vaildaily.com.
Provied by the Vail Daily