After everyone evacuated or sheltered in place Sept. 10 and 11, one of the first signs that Jacksonville was picking itself up after Hurricane Irma swept through Northeast Florida was resumption of the basic services.
That’s why Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan and Property Appraiser Jerry Holland were open for business Wedneday at the Yates Building on Forsyth Street after shutting down for three days to allow the storm to pass and give their staff time to assess their situations and begin the recovery.
“A major part of the return to normalcy is seeing gas stations and grocery stores open for business,” Corrigan said.
“For most people, the tax collector is the face of city government, so it’s important for people to see that we’re open.”
About 70,000 people visit the tax collector’s main office and the nine branch offices each month, so losing three days means more than 10,000 customers weren’t served.
Corrigan said the middle of the month was the best time for the disruption, since there’s usually more customer volume at the beginning and end of each month.
Holland said in terms of property appraisal, based on years of historical records, damage from hurricanes and tropical storms doesn’t have much effect on the county’s cumulative property value. When a home is damaged by a falling tree, high winds or floodwaters, repairs usually are made soon and property taxes are assessed each year based on the property’s value on Jan. 1.
“Most storms are in September and October, so roofs can be fixed and carpet and drywall usually are replaced by the end of the year,” he said.
On the other hand, Holland said, if property hasn’t been repaired by Jan. 1, the value could be less than the previous year and that likely would reduce the ad valorem tax assessment for 2018.
“If you have unrepaired damage or destroyed property that’s still gone in December — a dock, for example — it’s a good idea to let us know,” he said.