by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
According to City Council Director Cheryl Brown, the City’s Value Adjustment Board will hear in the neighborhood of 7,500 petitions for either homestead/portability petitions or property value protests based on 2007 assessed property values.
In fact, Brown is expecting so many people to protest their property values this fall she has again requested the use of the Prime Osborn Center to conduct the hearings. In a memo to Michael Clapsaddle, chief of bidding for the City’s Procurement and Supply division, Brown estimates the VAB projections are for 3,500 homestead/portability petitions and another 4,000 petitions from those protesting their property values. Applications for hearings on 2006 assessments were received in one of the two committee rooms on the first floor of City Hall, with the actual hearings taking place in a room on the second floor of the Osborn Center.
“We have so many people and there is no room here (City Hall),” said Brown, who conducts the hearings along with three staff members from Legislative Services. “We will have 15-20 hearings at the same time and there’s not enough room to do that here and do City Council business.”
Brown has requested space in the Osborn Center for Oct. 20-23, 27-30, Nov. 3-6, 10, 12-13, 17-20 and 24.
While the 7,500 is a record high, last year’s numbers aren’t far behind. In fact, Brown said the hearings from the 2006 property values are still being conducted. Property Appraiser Jim Overton said there are a few remand hearings left but no new hearings scheduled.
The VAB considers taxpayer petitions that seek to overturn decisions rendered by assessors with the Property Appraisers Office. The terms and conditions of the petition process are set by the State. However, the Jacksonville City Charter and the Duval County VAB require Brown’s office to provide adequate meeting space and also handle the entire petition process. Brown said the Osborn Center will suffice for space, but she’ll need more bodies to handle the 7,500 petitions.
“This can’t continue. We will have to make changes,” said Brown, explaining that this year there will be two VAB hearing schedules as opposed to one and, because she and her staff also handle all Council business, many are working 16- 18-hour days in order to accommodate VAB hearings and City Council. “I need to hire at least 1-2 people. VAB has become a being of its own.”
For property owners, the petition process is free with the exception of a $15 application fee. Once scheduled, a group of special magistrates will hear each petition and side with either the property owner or the Property Appraisers Office. Brown said some dual hearings will be required and the 7,500 estimated figure does not include remanded, rescheduled or show cause hearings.
Overton’s office is also burdened by the VAB hearings.
“It creates an incredible workload. They used to be over in October or November,” said Overton, adding that Miami has year-round VAB hearings due to the high volume of petitions filed.
Overton said his office works hard to correct any mistakes made before the hearings, which usually involve commercial property. However, that may change this fall.
“For the first time since 1992, we are working with capped property values and the property owners may argue the market value is too low. That’s what I’m predicting,” he said.