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Residents press Pine County over big valuation jumps; assessor appointment advised
Summary
Several residents told commissioners their property taxes rose sharply—one said a 30.05% increase—and county staff urged affected taxpayers to consult the assessor for parcel-specific reviews, noting mass appraisal methods and recent new construction can drive valuation changes.
Residents used the Truth in Taxation hearing to raise immediate concerns about how assessments affected their bills. “I27m Karen Soderquist, and I live on Cross Lake … And our taxes went up 30.05% or from '25 to '26,” Karen Soderquist said, adding that her property did not receive obvious changes aside from a new house. County staff and commissioners responded that mass appraisal methods use area sales and that a new construction project typically increases a parcel’s valuation.
County staff urged homeowners with large jumps to meet the assessor for a parcel review; staff said the assessor's office was available after the hearing and that a phone call or on‑site inspection can correct incorrect records (for example, if a building or blacktop was removed but not reported). The presenter also walked through how taxable market value, class rates set by state statute, and total county tax capacity are used to calculate a county tax rate and provided an example calculation to show how valuation changes affect individual bills.
