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Residents press Anson County commissioners for revenue-neutral tax rate after revaluation spike
Summary
At a packed public hearing, residents urged commissioners to adopt a revenue‑neutral rate after a countywide revaluation produced large assessed-value increases; county staff explained collection rates, foreclosure timing and budget tradeoffs including a proposed 0.5915 rate tied to preserving the current levy.
About two dozen residents testified during a public hearing Monday evening as the Anson County Board of Commissioners considered the budget implications of a countywide revaluation.
Community members said reassessments produced steep, sometimes startling increases on individual parcels and urged the board to adopt a revenue‑neutral tax rate to blunt the impact. "I strongly ask you to consider a revenue neutral tax rate," said Bobby Usher, a lifelong Anson County resident.
Other speakers offered examples they said showed disproportionate effects on older homes and renters. "My granddaughter just had her rent jacked up another $50 a month," Jim Henson told commissioners, urging them to consider renters and low‑income residents.
County staff described the mechanics and limits available to the board. "No tax rate has been set for this year," county manager Mr. Sausman told the room, noting that the existing nominal rate of 0.777 applies to the current tax year (ending June 30). He said the administration’s recommended rate that would preserve the county’s levy under the new valuations is 0.5915 (commonly called 'revenue neutral') but stressed that rate equalizes revenue countywide rather than guaranteeing no change for any individual homeowner.
Tax administrator Mr. Newton explained appeals and collections to the public: the county is on an eight‑year revaluation cycle and the current audit‑reported collection rate for current‑year taxes was about 94.97%. He and staff described the legal process and timeline for delinquent taxes and foreclosures — generally a multi‑step process that can take 30–60 days or longer, especially for properties with complex ownership.
Commissioners and staff also discussed budget tradeoffs the county faces if the board adopts a revenue‑neutral rate. Finance staff said the recommended budget uses roughly $4 million of fund balance to smooth the transition; commissioners warned that drawing down reserves reduces the county’s cushion and emphasized looking for additional cuts or revenue sources. Several commissioners urged freezing or delaying some vacant positions and examining nonrecurring revenue to limit fund‑balance use.
The board held the public hearing, accepted comments and recessed further budget decisions to the June 16 meeting to allow staff time to bring additional information, including engineering and water‑system cost updates. The board did not adopt a final tax rate at the meeting; no formal rate change was enacted.
