Cherokee County property owners have begun receiving their annual assessment notices and may see inflationary increases in their assessment values due to trends in real estate and inflation.
The average assessment increase is about 23 percent. According to the Tax Assessor’s Office, 100,575 parcels (92% of total tax parcels) in Cherokee County have increased in value. The Office also reports that 1,869 parcels decreased in value, and 6,162 parcels had no change from the previous year.
Georgia state law dictates how assessments must be completed, including evaluations and deadlines for exemptions and assessment notifications.
“The Cherokee County Board of Tax Assessors follows the appraisal guidelines provided by the Georgia Code and Appraisal Procedures Manual. The goal is to achieve ‘Fair Market Value’ as defined in the code section 48-5-2 (3),” Chief Appraiser Steve Swindell said. “The appraisal staff uses three approaches to value (sales comparison, cost and income) to determine valuation of properties. Statistical analysis, as provided by law, is used to calculate the level of assessment, uniformity and assessment bias for a group of properties defined by area, neighborhood, or class of property (residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial.)”
Those who filed a homestead exemption by April 1 that was approved have an assessment value freeze for county maintenance and operations dictated by a 2008 local resolution and a $5,000 exemption off the assessed value. The freeze and homestead exemption do not apply to fire district, parks bond or the Board of Education-controlled school millage rates. The freeze stays with the property owner until the property is sold or modifications are made to the property. Disabled veterans and senior citizens have additional exemptions as long as they applied for them by the April 1 deadline.
The appeals process is underway and is outlined on each assessment notice. Property owners have until June 30 to file any appeals. Any questions regarding assessment notices should be directed to the Tax Assessor’s Office by calling 678-493-6120. More information can be found at www.cherokeega.com/tax-assessors-office.
The county budget and millage-rate setting process will take place this summer. The Board of Commissioners must adopt the 2022 millage rate by July 19, 2022, according to state law. The BOC must also adopt the millage rate set by the Board of Education, which will set its millage rate this summer, as well. Assessment notices recently mailed are not tax bills. Tax bills will be mailed in the fall of 2022 after each jurisdiction, including local city councils, set their millage rates.
