NC County councilmen call for independent audit after outcry over reassessment

Reassessments are designed to be  revenue neutral with a third paying higher taxes, a third with lower bills and a third unchanged.

"I have heard countless stories from our neighbors who are grappling with property assessments that seem disconnected from market realities and previous valuations," said Tackett. "Many residents feel that the methodology used by Tyler Technologies lacks transparency, and the appeals process has not adequately addressed their concerns. An independent audit is not just a request; it's a critical step towards restoring public trust and ensuring that every homeowner is assessed fairly and accurately." Tackett's district is in the Bear-Christiana area.

District 1 Councilman Brandon Toole  is also calling for an audit.  District 1 includes the Bear-Glasgow areas.

Tyler Technologies conducted reassessments statewide. However, much of the controversy has taken place in New Castle County, which had not undergone the process in four decades. Property tax bills were also affected by school property taxes increasing due to past referendums or a law that allows an up to 10% increase without a referendum .

The controversy is also expected to lead to a rare special session of the General Assembly next month.

Toole cited  disparities in commercial properties. “This significant shift in the tax burden on residential properties requires careful investigation,” said Toole.

Concerns cited by the councilmen include: 

- Insufficient transparency. Numerous property owners have reported considerable difficulty in understanding the criteria and underlying data points employed by Tyler Technologies to determine their property valuations.

- Inconsistent valuations. Anecdotal evidence suggests significant inconsistencies in assessments for similar properties within the same neighborhoods. There are also many examples of “prime” real estate where the property values dropped considerably, leading to lower tax bills. A similar theme has repeatedly played out with valuable commercial properties, where the valuation of the properties dramatically decreased from the reassessment.

- Disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations. Unjustified increases in property assessments impose undue burdens upon segments of the population with fixed incomes, including senior citizens, low- income households, and long-term residents, thereby jeopardizing their residential stability.

- Perceived inadequacy of appeals process. The appeals mechanism has frequently been characterized as insufficient, evidenced by a high incidence of appeal denials or the provision of marginal or arbitrary adjustments that fail to rectify the identified discrepancies.

“The most effective way to regain the public’s trust is for New Castle County to immediately provide for an independent audit of Tyler Technologies’ reassessment process,” said Tackett.