County Assessment Notices Ready

Property Owners May Appeal Changes

BENTONVILLE — Benton County Assessor Bear Chaney said Thursday his office has prepared change in value notices for about 4,300 property owners who should receive them in the next few days.

“We’re going to get the notices out Friday,” Chaney said. “I would hope people will start to get them Saturday or Monday.”

The office sends out notices to property owners only when the value of their property has changed, Chaney said. While most of the notices are for an increase, the office also sends out notices when the value decreases. The Assessor’s Office sent out about 3,800 notices last year, Chaney said.

“It’s mostly for new construction or where someone has added on to a home or a building,” Chaney said. “They may have put in a new fence or built a swimming pool, anything that changes the value of the property.”

While it’s less frequent, Chaney said, the office sends out notices of decrease when it has that information also.

Web Watch

More information about property taxes and the appeals process can be found under the Appeals Process section of the County Assessor menu on the Benton County website at www.bentoncountyar.gov

Source: Benton County

“If a farmer tears down a poultry shed and they tell us, we’ll take that off,” he said.

The bulk of the notices are being sent to residents of Rogers, Bentonville and Bella Vista, Chaney said.

The notices are the first step in the annual process of setting property value for tax purposes. Any property owner who disagrees with the Assessor’s Office can call 271-1037 to discuss the change, Chaney said.

“They can call if they have questions and speak to an appraiser who can tell them why we made the changes,” Chaney said. “If they aren’t satisfied after talking to the appraiser, they can make an appointment with the Equalization Board. We’ll be making those appointments starting Monday.”

Property owners can also come to the main office in the County Administration Building, 215 E. Central Ave. in Bentonville, to discuss questions in person, said Chaney, who will have two appraisers in the office next week to handle questions or concerns.

County Clerk Tena O’Brien said the last opening on the Equalization board was filled Wednesday, and the board will hold its organizational meeting Aug. 1 and begin hearing appeals as soon as they are scheduled. The board, according to state law, meets from Aug. 1 through Oct. 1, but can extend the time it hears appeals and meet in special extended session if needed. The filing period for appealing the Assessor’s Office decision to the board ends Aug. 19.

In 2012, O’Brien said, the board scheduled 315 appointments for 1,271 parcels. If a property owner remains dissatisfied after a hearing before the Equalization Board, they can schedule an appeals hearing in Benton County Court where the case will be heard by County Judge Bob Clinard. There were 26 cases appealed to county court in 2012, O’Brien said.

Property taxes are one of the major revenue sources for the county. Sarah Daniels, comptroller, said the county budgeted for $20.5 million in property tax revenue for the general fund in 2013 and budgeted another $3.1 milli0n in property tax revenue for the road fund.

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