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Tax, tag and mapping office reports improved collections, remapping work and new services
Summary
Cypril Hampton told commissioners the tax office reduced long‑outstanding arrears, is rolling out instant titles and vessel registration, and is completing a county remap that has found unmapped parcels and border discrepancies with the Cherokee Indian Reservation; a business audit identified about $4.5 million in taxable value to be corrected.
Cypril Hampton, speaking for the county’s tax, tag and mapping office, provided an overview of recent work and upcoming services during the March 3 Swain County work session.
Hampton reported progress on delinquent‑tax collections and noted past backlogs: when staff began in September 2022, the office faced $613,522 in arrears including some 10‑year delinquent accounts; more recent years saw fewer required write‑offs. Hampton described staff training achievements, ongoing business personal property audits by an outside advisor that identified roughly $4.5 million in taxable claims (characterized during the presentation as corrections, not new revenue for the county), and efforts to make listings and valuations uniform across local businesses.
Hampton said the office will begin issuing instant vehicle titles and is pursuing vessel‑registration services for the community during off‑season periods, and noted efficiencies expected to keep residents from traveling to other towns for some transactions. She described remapping work led by Austin (surname not provided), who is remapping the county and has located mapping discrepancies including border issues near the Cherokee Indian Reservation and at least one parcel that has a deed but is difficult to locate on current maps; the state is assisting with that inquiry.
Hampton said the office will start a mailer program to gather deed‑transfer information such as intended use (business, short‑term rental/Airbnb) to improve tax capture and said staff are evaluating quarterly training timelines for newly offered services. The board thanked Hampton; commissioners asked no immediate follow‑up questions requiring votes.
