Our voices were heard

Give the Rockingham County commissioners some credit. They listened to their constituents. And, in doing so, they made the right choice for Rockingham County.
The county, like the vast majority of the government entities operating throughout this nation, are strapped for cash. But so are most Americans, and the government represents them, right? It’s the working Americans, those paying taxes and spending money in the county, money that generates additional revenue and taxes.
In a unanimous vote Monday night, the board returned real property tax values to last year’s levels. The vote came after weeks of loud protest from property owners upset with the county’s revaluation. The new assessed values listed reflect changes in appraised market values during the past six years. The county’s last revaluation came in 2003, and the scheduled appraisals in 2007 were delayed for a variety of reasons.
As Steve Lawson reported in Tuesday’s papers, reversing the revaluations is a four-step process. First, the board needs to rescind the previous resolution setting Jan. 1 as the effective date for new revaluations. Second, the September 2008 resolution establishing a new schedule of values for real property would also need to be rescinded. The board then must adopt a resolution returning the schedule of values back to the one set in 2003 and set the new date for revaluation to Jan. 1, 2011.
Eden lawyer Thomas Harrington has helped lead the effort to reverse the revaluation. “I’m pleased with the response from the commissioners because it’s really the right thing to do in this situation,” said Harrington, who has played an integral role in swaying commissioners toward the reversal.
In a letter to the board, Harrington wrote: “I understand that all of you have been told that you cannot legally stop the revaluation process at this time. I believe that this information is absolutely incorrect. There is a statute that clearly states that a revaluation shall be conducted at least every eight years. As long as the eight-year limitation is observed, county commissioners are given freedom to set a different and lesser period, which you all have done … I think the people of Rockingham County would appreciate it if you all would stop an erroneous and unfair revaluation as soon as possible so that the controversy could end.”
Revaluation or not, most of us are living in homes, regardless of their value, that we cannot sell. If the revaluation proceeded, property owners would have paid taxes on the perceived value of a structure for the sole purpose of lining government coffers. Maybe things will change. Maybe Rockingham County will see new industry, new jobs, and property values will rise with demand. Maybe that will happen by 2011, the next planned date for revalution. Maybe then, but that certainly isn’t the case today.
This time, the commissioners listened to the people, but the people will have to remain vigilant so that their voices will remain so loud they cannot be ignored.