PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY RIGHTS

Property taxes make up close to 60 percent of the revenue for Leon County, according to the Leon County FY2021 Adopted Budget. I vow to make sure residents receive fair and honest property value assessments from which their property taxes are determined. I also vow to ensure residents have a quick and easy appeals process if they disagree with the assessment.

As the effects of the pandemic are far reaching, I want homeowners to keep an eye on their home and property values. If the property values dip, this means less revenue for the county. This creates a budget shortfall that would likely be made up temporarily by taking money from the general fund. However, a solution I do not want to see is an increase in the millage rate. A short-term decline in property values could lead to an increase in the millage rate to make up the revenue difference. The problem with this scenario is once property values rise again, it is highly unlikely residents would see a reduced millage rate. I vow to look at every other possible scenario besides raising your taxes to increase revenue for the county or balance the budget.

Protecting the rights of land and homeowners is another top priority. I support owners having the freedom to enjoy their property as they see fit, as long as it does not violate any laws.