Pender County commissioners suspend application of 2026 reassessment values after storm of public protest

The Pender County Board of Commissioners voted on Thursday to suspend application of property values issued in the county’s 2026 reappraisal and to delay any tax bills based on those figures until Jan. 1, 2027, after a packed public-comment session in which dozens of residents reported sharp, sometimes hundreds-of-percent increases in their assessments.

The move came after nearly 50 people spoke at the start of the meeting, saying the new valuations had caused financial shock and anxiety for fixed-income households, veterans and long-time residents. Speakers described house values that doubled or increased several-hundred percent, apparent data errors (incorrect square footage and misapplied comparables) and denied appeals. One veteran said his property value had roughly doubled with no improvements; others warned elderly neighbors would be taxed out of their homes.

Commissioner Dr. Tate introduced a motion that the board suspend the implementation of the new 2026 assessed values, adopt the 2025 assessed values for the county’s 2026–27 budget process, and hire a third-party valuation contractor to review the work produced by the county’s vendor, Vincent Valuation. The motion also set Jan. 1, 2027, as the new target effective date if a corrected revaluation moves forward. The board voted to suspend the rules and approved the motion. No immediate changes to tax rates were made; the board instructed staff to return with a detailed budget amendment and timeline.

County officials said the suspension is meant to prevent immediate tax-bill shocks while the county commissions an independent review and identifies specific errors. County staff told commissioners they had received hundreds of appeals and were improving public-record workflows to help residents seeking corrections. The manager said the county will use the outside review to determine whether a full reappraisal or a targeted correction is necessary and to identify whether practices or data from the vendor require remediation.

What happens next: The board asked staff to return with a firm scope and contract terms for the independent valuation review and a proposed budget amendment that would adopt 2025 assessed values for FY27. Residents were advised to monitor the county’s public-records portal and the county website for guidance on appeals and any changes to the tax calendar.

Quotes: “This is not mere market correction. It is a de facto tax explosion for the very residents who can least afford it,” said a longtime resident during public comment. Commissioner Dr. Tate, who moved the suspension, told the board the decision was meant to “put action behind talk” and to avoid residents losing property during a contested revaluation.

The board’s vote does not resolve individual appeals; residents pursuing appeal relief should continue to use the county appeals process, county staff said. The county also signaled it will examine contractual remedies related to the vendor contract and whether any payments can be recovered pending the vendor review and legal advice.