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Residents press King George supervisors over large property assessment increases
Summary
Multiple residents told the board that recent reassessments produced large increases that many say do not match market or appraisal values; the board urged property owners to review field sheets, use the commissioner of the revenue and appeals procedures, and stressed that the assessor contractor and commissioner handle valuation work.
Several residents asked the King George County Board of Supervisors on March 18 to explain and correct what they described as sharp and inconsistent property-assessment increases.
At the start of public comment, Edward Roberti showed the board numbers he said came from his assessment: "They've assessed it for $853,900," he said, adding that he bought the house three years ago for $635,000 and a real estate appraisal put current value near $705,000. Debbie Fairfax, a James Madison District resident, said farmland in her area rose about 60 percent and reported senior citizens who told her their notices showed outsized percentage jumps. Dr. Henry Daryl Webb said measurement fields for basements and porches appear to have changed between assessment cycles, producing inconsistent totals.
Why it matters: assessment values feed the revenue estimates county staff use when setting tax rates and can change tax burdens for homeowners, including seniors on fixed incomes.
Board response and process: Chair (presiding) and county staff explained that the commissioner of the revenue contracts an outside vendor to perform reassessments and that the Board of Supervisors does not directly set individual property values. County staff and several supervisors urged residents to examine their assessor "field sheet," which lists the measurements and characteristics used in a valuation, and to pursue the appeals process at the commissioner of the revenue and, if needed, the Board of Equalization.
Supervisor (functional label) Miss Bender advised residents to retrieve the field sheet from the commissioner of the revenue and compare the 2022 sheet with the 2026 sheet to locate errors: "I would suggest you get the one from 2026 and the one from the last time in 2022." County staff noted a number of obvious mistakes reported by residents and said the vendor has been doing property visits but some corrections remain necessary.
What the board said it would do: Supervisors and the commissioner confirmed they will continue public outreach and encourage appeals where data are incorrect. The board declined to reverse vendor-conducted assessments directly but emphasized transparency about how values are calculated and the available remedies for homeowners.
Next steps: Residents were told to bring field sheets to the commissioner of the revenue's office and follow the appeal process; several supervisors said the topic will remain on the board s agenda and in staff reports during the upcoming budget and CIP discussions.
