Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Dec. 26, 2007, edition 1 / Page 1
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^appv *^ '*^ 'mii J(s:^)|!^ • V^ ^ Ilf DEC 2 ? 200/ December 26, 2007 Vol. 75, No. 52 Hertford, North Carolina 27944 ^^News from Next Door Ughtup the night Property revaluation notices sent t’l kJt "■: ' Perquimans,Weekly-Photos by PHIL HARRIS ALL AROUND PERQUIMANS, HOLIDAY displays light up the hight^Soon, the spectacular and the simple will be packed away for another year, when the lights of the season will again shine. Several homes on South Church Street, including one with animated blow-up decorations (above) blink and sparkle with holiday cheer. Downtown Hertford is a sea of white lights, with the traffic signals adding a hint of Christmas red and green. County building down, Hertford’s up CATHY WILSON Staff Writer While new residential construction in Perquimans County is declining, it ap pears new homebuUding Hertford is rising. According to figures obtained from the county buUding inspector’s of fice, 335 building permits were issued in Perquimans County during the 2006 cal endar year. The value of new residential construc tion totaled $34,831,368. So far in the first three quarters of 2007, 234 build ing permits have been is sued in Perquimans County representing $23,100,564 in new residential construc tion. No figures were avail able yet for October, Novem ber and December of 2007. Comparing the first three quarters of 2006 to the same time span in 2007, the coun ty issued 49 more permits in 2006 than this year. The value of new residential construction during the first three quarters of the 2007 calendar year declined, however, by $5.2 million. New water taps connect ed in the county have also decreased.In 2006, 175 new water meters were installed in the county compared to 109 installed so far in 2007. The figxmes for the town ■ of Hertford, however, are on the rise so far this year. Twenty-seven building permits were issued in Hertford in 2006 including new residential construc tion valued at $410,685. In the first three quarters of the year alone, building permits issued in Hertford have passed last year’s 12 month total with 28 includ ing new residential con struction value of $699,755. There were 21 building permits issued in Hertford during the first nine months of 2006 with new residen tial construction valued at $258,485. Figures show that seven building permits were is sued in 2006 for WinfaU with no new residential construction noted. So far in 2007, two building per mits have been issued for WinfaU, but neither is for residential construction. Overall values up 85 percent SUSAN HARRIS Editor & Publisher Property revaluation no tices are in owners’ hands, scorching some and sooth ing others. County Tax Supervi sor Frank Heath said total property value in Perquimans County topped $1 biUion for the first time at $1,540,308,300. The value in 2000 was $829,308,143. Heath said the 85 percent increase stems from new housing, subdivision development and the prices homes sold for in the county in recent years. Heath said the state re quires counties to reassess property values a mini mum of every eight years. WhUe some review values every four or six years, Perquimans has historical ly undergone the appraisal process every eight years. Heath said that with more frequent evaluations, prop erty values don’t increase so much with each evalu ation and it keeps values more current. He added that there has been discus sion at the state level of re quiring evaluations every four years. The state mandates that counties evaluate property at current market values. Properties are evaluated based on sales in specific neighborhoods and sales of like properties in the county. The county contracted with Pearson’s Apprais al Company to perform the revaluation. Pear son’s has been working in Perquimans County for over a year studying sales data and tax department re cords, as well as physically driving through the county accessing property. Heath said the revalu ation notices stated that property owners have 10 days to appeal property values, but that every prop erty owner who calls will be heard, even if holidays pre vent owners from calling within the 10-day period. He said owners can continue to call through the first week or two in January. The process of appeal ing a property value begins with an appointment for an informal review with Pear son’s Appraisal personnel. They can be reached at 426- 3199. A property owner not satisfied with the outcome of the initial meeting may then contact the tax depart ment. The next step would be to appear before the Board of Equalization and Review, which is composed of county commissioners. Property owners seek ing to determine why their property was appraised at a certain amount can get ba sic information regarding their property and the prop erty around them at the tax department. Heath said. He said tax department em ployees are working to get more tax information on line also to make it easier for property owners to re search property issues. “They can contact us at any time,” Heath said. The property values will become effective Jan. 1, un less some are changed dur ing the appeals process. The tax rate wfil be set by county commissioners in June, and tax bills reflect ing both the new property values and tax rate will be mailed in late August. Taxes are due and payable as soon as bills are received and are considered delinquent on Jan. 6 of the following year. History When property was last revaluated in 2000, Bob Pearson of Pearson’s Ap praisal met with commis sioners to let them know that property values were rising at much different rates throughout the coun ty. Pearson proved his point by giving commissioners the value of their property before the revaluation and the estimated value after. Values rose 12-112 percent. In 2000, values of prop erty along Perquimans’ abundant waterfront rose sharply, while some values remained stagnant, and lot values even dropped in Hol iday Island because they no longer met health depart ment standards for septic tanks. The overall growth was 18.8 percent. Based on that growth, commissioners dropped the tax rate from 78 cents per $100 valuation to 62 cents when the budget was ap proved in June 2000. County Manager Bobby Darden said residents can expect a “substantial” de crease in the tax rate when it is set by commissioners in June 2008, but he said until all appeals are heard and a final total valuation is set, and budget requests are submitted and reviewed, it is impossible to determine a rate. Wumm Thursday High: 64 Low: 43 Showers Friday High: 63 Low: 46 Few Showers Saturday High: 61 Low: 49 Showers
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Dec. 26, 2007, edition 1
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