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Public commenter urges Gaston County to release records explaining 2023 commercial property valuations
Summary
Taylor Sanders asked the Gaston County Board of Commissioners to disclose studies, calculations and market data used to set 2023 commercial property values, saying the lack of records prevents independent review and may have shifted a larger tax burden to homeowners.
Taylor Sanders told the Gaston County Board of Commissioners that the county has not produced written records showing which numbers, assumptions or market information were used to value commercial properties in 2023, and urged transparency ahead of a new property revaluation cycle.
"The public deserve to see those studies, calculations, market information, and written explanations supporting those conclusions," Sanders said, arguing that professional judgment may be needed but must be accompanied by underlying evidence. Sanders noted illustrative figures discussed in public exchanges — "Maybe the financial impact was 12,000,000 per year. Maybe it was 15" — as examples of why independent review matters.
Sanders also said the county characterized its process as using accepted appraisal methods and the best information available at the time, but that those assertions are conclusions rather than underlying evidence. "If that judgment was supported by evidence, the public should be able to see this evidence," Sanders said, asking the board to make the records available before the next reevaluation.
The comment framed several narrow questions Sanders said the public deserves answered: what evidence supported 2023 valuation decisions, what was the financial effect, how was tax responsibility divided among property owners, and what changes (if any) will be made before the next reevaluation. The board did not take immediate action during the meeting to compel release of documents.
Next steps: Sanders urged public records requests and greater explanation from county staff; commissioners did not announce a specific follow‑up vote during the session.
