You still have approximately three weeks to appeal your DeKalb County tax assessment. The dealine to appeal is July 13 for most county tax payers. After DeKalb County's recognition that some of the tax assessments that were sent out were erroneous they said they would send out second notices on up to 4,000 homes. These corrective notices should have another 45 day appeal period from the date of notice. If you get a second notice and you do not have 45 days to appeal I would like to hear about it.
Some home owners are complaining that their DeKalb County tax assessment is now too low. I know that the assessment on my house is below market value but I'm not complaining. I figure the County will increase my value in 2013 or 2014 or whenever they think they have enough market data to increase it. It is the people that are trying to sell their real estate that are the loudest about low DeKalb County tax assessments. Although home buyers should put little faith in the tax assessment they often do. Because I am not ready to sell I will keep my mouth shut and enjoy the smaller tax bill.
The DeKalb County School Board voted to raise their portion of the millage (tax) rate last week. The one mill increase will raise approximately $14.8 million, but the Board still faces a large $77.5 million budget cut. For those of you with DeKalb County tax assessments that are little changed or even increases from 2011, increased tax rates are are a kick in the wallet. The County will get their money one way or another, either through increases in property tax assessments, or increases in the tax rate. All we can do is hold them accountable for the tax dollars they spend and keep appealing the tax assessments.
