Editor, The Smithfield Times:

In protest of new property assessments: In The Smithfield Times’ April 10 edition, assessments were projected to rise “roughly” 25%. And the real estate tax rate had a proposed drop of 12%, which equaled out to 10 cents per $100 of assessed property value. In the May 9 issue of the Times, it read that assessments had actually increased by “roughly” 34%, and the proposed tax reduction was to be 12 cents.

Well, my assessment was a 40.85% increase from 2019 with a tax rate “not yet determined.” How can they possibly send out assessments without information on what the final tax rate will be? Of course I will contest because (as stated on county website), “the burden of proof will be on the Taxpayer to prove why they should have their assessment changed.” Oh, and you cannot, as instructed on county website, just say, “My taxes are too high.” That is not sufficient.

Unbelievable. Why wouldn’t that be sufficient ? Where is their burden of proof that my property deserves a valuation increase of 40%? It must be that 30-year-old roof, the faded vinyl or the foggy windows that were all on the budget list until … .

 

Frank Boyack

Smithfield