Jones County officials move to correct disputed revaluations; request up to $75,000 for assessor office work

A Jones County resident told the board that 9,400 property owners were hit by improper increases in assessed value and asked the county to reverse those changes; appraisal staff and board members said they are working to identify and correct improper overrides and approved a request to seek up to $75,000 from the county commission to fund temporary appraiser help, overtime and staffing needs.

Nikki Parker, a county resident who gave her address during public comment, said the 9,400 increases were “done incorrectly and illegally” and asked the board whether it could reverse those adjustments now rather than waiting for a full revaluation. “It’s grossly unfair for 9,400 property owners to be burdened with property taxes they do not legally owe,” Parker said.

The board and appraisal staff replied that work to correct improper manual overrides is already under way. “Some of the worst of it, which was the override situation, I actually personally went in and have taken off the vast, vast, vast majority of it,” said Mr. Goodman, an appraisal office staff member. Goodman later estimated, “I’ve taken off probably 1,500, 18 hundred overrides,” and said other staff members had removed additional overrides.

Staff described a multi‑part approach: running sales-ratio and validation studies for the 2025 tax year, adjusting value tables (price-per-square-foot and other grading tables), accepting appeals from taxpayers when assessment notices are issued, and contracting temporary or part-time appraisal help. The office also said bids for a countywide revaluation process were scheduled to open in March; staff cautioned that a complete contracted revaluation could take years to complete.

Board members and staff warned that reversing manual overrides would affect the county’s assessment ratio and the overall digest. One staff member said the county’s sales-ratio figures have moved between roughly 31 and 33 in recent reports and that removing overrides had reduced the ratio, necessitating table adjustments to bring assessments into closer compliance with state guidance.

To fund immediate work before the tax digest is finalized, the board voted to request a budget amendment from the county commission not to exceed $75,000. The request, as discussed by staff, is intended to cover training, a part-time temporary appraiser (a retired appraiser on contract), overtime for current staff and the addition of two positions (an appraiser assistant and an appraiser) to address a staffing shortfall identified in a state performance review. The board made the motion during the meeting and approved sending the amendment request to the county commission.

Officials urged residents who believe their assessment is incorrect to file an appeal once assessment notices are issued and to bring documentation to the assessor’s office for review. Staff said they will continue to share lists and work with the state to identify any remaining properties that were not corrected by the initial override removals.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to request a budget amendment (not to exceed $75,000) to cover temporary appraiser(s), overtime and two new positions: approved (motion made and seconded; board voted in favor). - Motion to approve agenda: approved. - Motions to approve minutes from Feb. 20 and March 10 called meetings: approved. - Motion to approve 20 conservation-use renewals: approved. - Motion to approve breach of conservation use J51439 (owner Frederick Green), without penalty for age: approved. - Motion to approve error and relief items presented: approved. - Motion to approve 28 motor vehicle appeals: approved. - Motion to approve 70 standard homesteads and to table L4 homesteads: approved (70 approved; remaining L4 items tabled). - Motion to adjourn: approved.

Context and next steps

Staff said bids for an outside revaluation were scheduled to open in March and cautioned that a full contractor-led revaluation could extend into future years; they also said table adjustments and staff corrections would continue in the weeks before the May 1 tax-digest deadline. The board will submit the budget amendment request to the county commission for approval at a forthcoming meeting.

The board and appraisal staff indicated they will continue to run sales-ratio studies, accept appeals from taxpayers, share lists with the state if available and pursue additional corrections as they are identified.