Letters to citizens who objected to their new property valuesfollowing a state-mandated reappraisal should be in the mailshortly, Lincoln County officials said.

Following objection hearings in August before the county boardof supervisors, officials have been verifying new value totals.Letters notifying citizens of board action are expected to go outsometime this week, said Tillmon Bishop, county administrator.

Approximately 800 land parcels were involved in the hearings,with more than half seeing some kind of adjustment. Supervisorsheard from or received letters of objection from approximately 250property owners during the hearings.

With some property owners involved with multiple parcels, Bishopsaid citizens would likely get one letter detailing their parcelsand the respective board action on them. He pointed out, however,that citizens do not need to wait for the letters to learn aboutboard action.

“They don’t have to wait for the letter,” Bishop said. “If theyhave a question, they can always call the tax assessor’soffice.”

New property values assigned during the reappraisal are beingused in conjunction with millage rates to determine how much inproperty taxes citizens will pay. Property tax notices are expectedto go out in December.

State Tax Commission guidelines that went into effect in 1998require counties to update property values by 2002 or risk losinghomestead exemption reimbursement funding.

Following the Lincoln County work, citizens contended their newvalues were inflated and out of line. During the hearings,appraisers were asked to review values in question and makeadjustments where possible.

Appraiser Wayne Herring said examples why adjustments were madeincluded reasons such as miscalculation of a home’s square footageor, for vacant land, topographical issues that would decrease landvalue. In rejecting adjustments, he said one reason was the changeswould get the property out of the 85-105 percent true market valueratio guidelines from the tax commission.