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Gaston County tax director outlines 2023 reassessment process to Ranlo commissioners
Summary
Gaston County Tax Director Cecil Jackson briefed the Ranlo Board of Commissioners on May 12, 2022 about a countywide reassessment that will capture market values as of Jan. 1, 2023, the appeals process and planned town-hall outreach; notices to property owners are expected next February with 30 days to appeal.
Cecil Jackson, Gaston County tax director, told the Ranlo Board of Commissioners on May 12 that the county will capture property-market conditions as of Jan. 1, 2023, for its upcoming reassessment and that the process is intended to produce "fair and equitable assessments for property owners," not to generate new revenue for municipalities.
Jackson said the county has moved to a four-year reassessment cycle to avoid large swings in assessed values and to better reflect current market conditions. "We're about as of April... about 54% of the market," Jackson said, explaining the county's current assessment ratio and how assessments may differ from recent sale prices.
The county plans to send assessment notices in February; property owners will have 30 days after receiving a notice to appeal, Jackson said. Appeals begin with an in-office or in-person review and, if unresolved, may be heard by a five-member Board of Equalization appointed by the Gaston County board of commissioners.
Jackson outlined what typically triggers an adjustment — changes in the physical characteristics of a property such as number of bedrooms or square footage — and described the county's canvassing process, which involves field inspections to confirm property data.
The tax office said it will expand outreach by hosting town halls across Gaston County and offering online tools showing comparable sales and neighborhood-level data. Chelsea Tarbusch (introduced as the incoming county tax director), John Stevens (assistant tax director) and Ryan Dobbins (reevaluation coordinator) were listed as staff who will assist with outreach.
Mayor Black asked whether reassessment aims to raise county revenue; Jackson replied, "No, sir. It's about helping the homeowners sell their property. Our goal is to make sure property owners are paying their fair share of taxes, but also that the market is captured at a certain period of time."
Next steps: the county will publish reassessment notices next February, property owners will have 30 days to appeal, and the county plans local town-hall meetings and online materials to explain the process.
