Photos by Lay la Garms
Attendees lis
ten during
Monday's
meeting.
(Below)
J o y c e I y n
Johnson and
John Burgiss
discuss the
particulars of
the reassess
ment.
Homes
from page AI
property value.
Among them was
Watson's neighbor, Shirley
Robinson, who said her
two bedroom home's value
has also plummeted.
"1 moved there in 1983.
The value was up to
$47,000. When I got this
appraisal, it was down to
$12,000," said Robinson, a
retired Housing Authority
of Winston-Salem employ
ee. "I'm not angry; I'm
mad."
Burgiss said he and his
team of tax assessors
expected sharp declines
because of the trouble the
housing market has experi
enced since the last assess
ment was done in 2009.
?jpce the appraisals are
bpsed on sales of nearby
nouses with similar quali
ties, factors like foreclo
sures - though they are not
directly included in the tab
ulation - can affect the
sales of surrounding houses
and cause a whole area to
decline in value, Burgiss
explained. The more sales
that take place in a given
area, the better picture an
assessor is able to paint of
the surrounding homes'
value, so declines in the
number of sales can also
hinder the process, he said.
"What's different is the
market," he said. "There
are less sales for us to go
by, and that creates a chal
lenge. It makes the job
more difficult and that s not
an excuse, that's a reality "
Virginia Newell, a
retired educator and former
member of the Winston
Salem City Council, said
she was incensed when she
received the letter stating
that her meticulously-kept
three bedroom home was
only wotth $34,000. She
called the reappraisal "arbi
trary and capricious."
"I couldn't build a dog
house for $34,000." said
Newell, a licensed realtor
whose home value dropped
nearly $83,000 between
2009 and 2013. "...My
house is solid. I've
improved my house to no
end"
Joycelyn Johnson, the
longtime former City
Council member for the
East Ward, believes African
American communities
have been disproportion
ately affected by the reap
praisal.
"The tax process disen
franchises many of our
communities," declared
Johnson, whose own prop
erty dipped by $70,000.
"It's not fair for those of us
who are in Skyland Park to
have $50-. $60-. $70,000
lost."
Burgiss. who explained
the assessment process to
the residents at the meet
ing. said the same method
is used to assess all proper
ties in Forsyth County.
"There's no difference
in our methodology
There's no difference in our
strengths and weaknesses
all across the county," said
Burgiss. "...Appraisal by
its nature is an opinion of
value. It's an opinion. It's
not a fact."
County Commissioner
Walter Marshall said that
the decrease in so many
property values could
translate to a significant
drop in income for the
county.
"I hope you don't think
for one minute that the
county wants to lose your
money." Marshall told the
group. "...We're talking
about losing $20-30 mil
lion. If there's any way pos
sible for us to recoup that
money. I think we'll do it."
Rev. Paul Lowe, pastor
of Shiloh Baptist Oiurch
1
and chair of the Forsyth
County Democratic Party's
Fifth Congressional
District, told Witherspoon
and Marshall that outrage
is widespread.
"We have people that
are alarmed at what has just
taken place," Lowe said.
"...There are some people
who have lost 50-plus per
cent of the value of their
homes."
Johnson, who has
announced her intentions to
run this year to regain her
City Council seat, urged
Marshall and Witherspoon,
the only blacks and
Democrats on the Forsyth
County Board of
Commissioners, to take
action on behalf of their
constituents.
"You can look at the
maps and see where the
disparities are - the maps
clearly show that." she said.
"...I suggest that you delay
the process since you know
things are getting better and
you only have to do it (a
reappraisal) every eight
years"
Witherspoon admitted
that the reassessment was
cause for concern for both
county leaders and resi
dents.
'It's a shame," he said,
referencing the throngs of
homeowners who have lost
equity "I don't think any
body benefits."
Burgiss said conducting
the assessment now is the
most just option.
"It's all about equity.
What's more important to
me as an assessor is to be
fair. That's what the proper
ty tax system is based on.
fairness," he staled. "If you
looked at what our values
were in 09 and what they
were selling for. our values
were like 200 percent
more That would be. in a
lot of people's minds, over
taxing. I want to reappraise
because there's inequity."
The debate at the meet
ing Monday quickly
became heated. Many of
those present directed their
frustration and anger at
Burgiss and county leaders,
questioning the
Administration's method
ology and vocalizing the
negative impact the
reassessment has already
had on their lives. For city
native Dr. Manderline
Scales, a retired educator, it
means that she won't be
able to downsize from her
four bedroom home to a
smaller dwelling that better
suits the needs of a single
homeowner. For longtime
city resident Clara Ellis, it
means she won't be able to
draw from the equity of her
home to make improve
ments. Ellis, a great-grand
mother, said she was "flab
bergasted" to leam that the
home she has occupied on
Elbon Drive for more than
five decades was assessed
at $37,600.
"That means if I want
to improve it more. I could
n't even do it because
nobody is going to give me
money with it dropping like
that." said the 85 year-old.
Even City Council
Member Derwin
Montgomery, who repre
sents the city's East Ward,
felt the effects of the
reassessment, to the tune of
$80,000.
"1 purchased my house
almost two years ago and
the value that they're giving
for my house is not even
close to what my mortgage
is," said Montgomery, who
added that he plans to
appeal the decision. "I can
understand the passion
(homeowners expressed at
the meeting). When people
purchase a home, that is a
lifetime investment ... and
if these values are any
where close to market
value, you've wiped out
people's wealth; you've
wiped out the equity that
they've put into their
homes."
Montgomery said he
and other residents expect
ed declines in their proper
ty values because of the
housing market's collapse.
but they never imagined it
would be to the extent they
have experienced. The
Dreamland Park resident
said he plans to explore the
issue further during a com
munity meeting today at
First Calvary Baptist
Church, where he serves as
senior pastor. Montgomery
said the group will be
exploring "other options
that we as a community can
take in order to try to
impede these values from
sticking." Montgomery
said he understands the
community's frustration.
"I think people didn't
expect what we're facing
now and it needs to be
addressed," he said.
Residents who have
questions about their prop
erty revaluation are invited
to attend a community
meeting hosted by City
Council Member Derwin
Montgomery at First
Calvary Baptist Church,
401 Woodland Ave., today
(Thursday. Feb. 28), at 6
p.m. Forsyth County
Commissioners Walter
Marshall and Everett
Witherspoon are slated to
attend, as is Forsyth
County Tax Assessor John
Burgiss. For more informa
tion, contact Tabetha
Bailey at 336-462-2341.
Residents are asked to
bring their tax and appeal
forms with them to the
meeting.
/ File Photo
After leaving Atkins High School, Carl Eller went on
to become a legend.
Eller to receive
' Hometown'
honor
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Carl Eller, a Pro Football Hall of Famer from
Winston-Salem, will be honored Tuesday (March 5) at
Atkins Academic & Technology High School.
Eller, one of the most honored defensive players of
his time, was a standout on the gridiron when he
attended the original Atkins on Cameron Avenue in
the late 1950s. He went on to play at the University of
Minnesota before being drafted by the Minnesota
Vikings in 1964. Before retiring in 1979, Eller would
also wear the uniform of the Seattle Seahawks.
His football accolades are vast and include six Pro
Bowl and four Super Bowl appearances. He was
inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in
2006 and the Pro Football Hall in 2004. Several years
ago, Eller was also honored at the original Atkins for
his contributions to the former school's athletic her
itage.
Tuesday's program will be attended by current
Atkins staff, faculty, students, alumni and Eller's
friends and family. It is not open to the public. Atkins
Principal Joe Childers will emcee the ceremony, dur
ing which a "Hometown Hall of Famer" plaque honor
ing Eller will be unveiled
The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate
Insurance Company started the Hometown Hall of
Famers program to honor the local roots of some of
the sport's greatest coaches, players and contributors.
The plaque will permanently hang at the school to
serve as an inspiration for students and athletes.
Hessie Smith, one of Eller's former high school team
mates. will assist with the unveiling. Organizers say a
commemorative Eller road sign will also be erected in
the city.
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