The state requires all property values to be reassessed to ensure taxes are adjusted to fit the current market every eight years. The Carrboro Board of Aldermen discussed this revaluation at their Tuesday meeting.
“Over time, most properties change in value, but they often do so at different rates,” Orange County Tax Office Director T. Dwane Brinson said.
Property tax bills will be sent out in July or August, but they will reflect the owner’s property value from Jan. 1, 2009, which is the last time a revaluation was performed.
The county’s new revaluation will be effective Jan. 1, 2017, and property tax rates will therefore reflect the current market value.
Brinson said he wants the community to be involved in the revaluation process, and that the tax office is implementing several programs to show that.
The 2017 Revaluation Partner program is a new system in which Orange County residents can educate themselves on the revaluation process and results.
The program is a way for community members to become certified as a “revaluation partner” and can answer questions and help other residents understand the process, Brinson said.
Residents must read the newly updated information on the tax office website, watch and share a revaluation video series and take a 10 question interactive quiz before they receive a certificate of achievement and become a “revaluation partner.”
Besides spreading awareness about the process of revaluation, Brinson also said he wants to partner with the community to gather the most accurate data possible through mailings and property visits.
After the revaluation discussion, the board transitioned to talk about tourism in Carrboro.
Phaedra Kelly, chairperson of the Carrboro tourism development authority, gave an update to the board on the activities of the tourism development authority in the past year.
Kelly said the town did more marketing than in previous years, and also created a new marketing plan that included designs for print and digital advertisements to help increase tourism.
“We really needed something more cohesive,” Kelly said.
She described a new, coherent marketing scheme with a new look to go with the town logo and color scheme.
Kelly also said the tourism development authority has purchased updated banners for the town that will be set out soon.
She said as the tourism development authority looks forward and plans for the future, a couple goals are to update and re-print the Carrboro town map and fund public murals to go on the sides of businesses.
Board of Aldermen member Randee Haven-O’Donnell said she would like to see the murals done by local graffiti artists, which might discourage others from painting over it.
“Have a couple murals done by kids who are putting graffiti around anyway,” Haven-O’Donnell said.
Several board members expressed an interest in doing more research into how many people the tourism development authority’s efforts bring into the town.
Noteable:
The board discussed posting easy-access summaries of all Carrboro zoning projects online to increase transparency with the public.
They also discussed having additional community meetings on a case by case basis in addition to a public hearing.
Quoteable:
“We are very serious about encouraging public comment,” Board of Aldermen member Damon Seils said.
city@dailytarheel.com
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