State rep calls DeKalb's process "absurd"

On his blog yesterday, State Rep. Mike Jacobs criticized DeKalb County's reassessment notices and offered guidance to property owners who have appealed their property values. Here’s an excerpt:

They’re at it again.

The DeKalb County Tax Assessors have sent out reassessment notices. Having received one this year, and having heard from many of my constituents who have received one, it appears that there is a common thread in this year’s crop of reassessments.

The common thread is that, if you filed a Form PT-50R Georgia Real Property Tax Return (click for an article that I previously wrote on how to file this form), the tax assessors included the amount that you provided on your Property Tax Return as the “previous year’s value” for the bygone 2009 tax year. Then, the assessors increased that amount to what had been your 2009 assessment amount, telling you that the old 2009 amount would be the “current year’s value” for the 2010 tax year.

The rest of Rep. Jacob’s commentary is available here.  The City of Decatur receives all its property assessment values from DeKalb County.