Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds responded to mounting criticism of the recently completed property tax reappraisal by announcing today, Oct. 2, that he will lower property values in 2009.Instead of attacking his opponent like Jack Zettler's been doing, Roger Reynolds is a man of integrity who is fighting for you the taxpayer.
Reynolds said in a prepared statement that he has made several requests upon the State Tax Commissioner for an extension of the 2008 property reappraisal. This would allow him to take into account 2008 values, instead of higher values in 2007 and 2006.
State officials projected the appraisal would lead to a 5.95 percent average property value increase countywide, though many homeowners have seen their values decline in recent years.
"The state bureaucracy may not understand how this housing market affects everyday people, but I do." Reynolds said. "At the ground level, we see and feel this crisis. In 2009, I have the authority to lower values, and I will."
I also wanted to point this bit out because I don't think I covered it extensively when the issue came up:
Reynolds was appointed in April of this year after former auditor Kay Rogers resigned after pleading guilty to bank fraud. He has since hosted several town hall meetings and offered homeowners a chance to lower their property values by contesting them personally.Roger has been working hard. He also has stated that folks who have received storm-related property damage may also qualify for a reduction. Check out the Auditor's site for more information on that.
