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Adams County commissioners tell callers rising home valuations, not local rate increases, are driving higher property bills
Summary
At a county telephone town hall, residents raised rising property taxes and affordability concerns. Commissioners said the county has not raised its tax rate, pointed callers to senior exemptions administered by the assessor, and said they will advocate to state lawmakers for additional relief.
About 14,500 residents joined an Adams County telephone town hall where a wave of callers asked about rising property-tax bills and housing affordability.
Commissioner Steve O'Dorisio told a caller that the county has not raised its tax rate and that higher property bills are driven primarily by rising home values. “The problem is that for families is that the values keep going up,” O'Dorisio said. He added that insurance costs and other factors are also increasing household expenses.
Commissioner Julie Duran Mullica, a recently elected member of the Board of County Commissioners, said many seniors had raised affordability concerns during her campaign. She encouraged residents to contact the county assessor to confirm whether they qualify for existing exemptions and said the board will pass constituent stories to state legislators to press for expanded senior exemptions. “I encourage all of our seniors to reach out to our assessor's office,” Mullica said.
Board Chair Lynn Baca emphasized the distinction between property-tax rates and property valuations. “We don't increase your taxes. As residents, you need to vote on every single tax increase,” Baca said, adding that recent state-level tax relief reduced some local tax burden but also drew down county budget resources. Baca urged seniors to pursue the homestead exemption through the assessor’s office.
County officials framed their response around two avenues: (1) direct assistance and enrollment in exemptions administered locally by the assessor, and (2) advocacy to state lawmakers to broaden relief programs. Commissioners also reiterated the county's focus on investments in parks, trails and other services intended to improve quality of life but acknowledged those do not directly lower property valuations.
No formal county action or vote was announced at the town hall; commissioners described ongoing outreach to the assessor's office and continued advocacy at the state level.
The county posted the full 90-minute town hall recording and said it will continue to share information about available exemptions and property-tax resources in follow-up materials.
