If Commissioners and public officials are not paying the full tax bill on their properties, then they do not “feel the pain” the rest of us feel.

AVOC

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May 20, 2008

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Oconee Tax Assessments, Bills and Classifications are Kind to some folks

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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

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When the Conservation Use Tax Covenant came into existence in the early 90’s, I was a skeptic.I was a public official and could see a shifting of tax burdens to homeowners and businesses.

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In later years, I saw, again as a public official, some advantage in the CU program because it removed many farmers and large landowners out of the conflicts about assessments, taxes and referendums for schools and public officials.

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As time has gone on, I have come to realize that it is an area where some people benefit who are not farmers and do not own a “family farm”.It allows speculators to keep their tax bills low while they wait on appreciation of the assets.   There are examples of that in Oconee County, some involving County Commissioners and the Chairman of the Board of Assessors.   Information is provided below about those properties.

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A year or so ago, I was helping a senior citizen with health issues with a claimed penalty of over $ 10,000.00 because he had sold his property to the point that he did not have 10 acres which I understood to be the minimum for Conservation Use.   In studying the tax records, online, I have learned that not everyone is in that same boat.

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A Conservation Use Covenant allows eligible property to be taxed at a small percentage of what one would pay without the tax break.   It helps a lot of good folks but it is also helping folks who do not need it and should not have it.

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If Commissioners and public officials are not paying the full tax bill on their properties, then they do not “feel the pain” the rest of us feel.

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Melvin Davis and Don Norris, two of the biggest spending commissioners in the county’s history, have special classifications and significant tax breaks.We will demonstrate by Tax Parcel Numbers, valuations and actual tax bills paid.

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Oconee County has 16,789 parcels in its WinGAP Tax Assessor program.   There are 10,395 parcels in Oconee County that are less than 10 acres and have a residence on them.  Of those 10,395 parcels, 192 are in conservation use.  

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If you are an average citizen of Oconee County and you own less than 10 acres with a residence on it, you have a 1 in 54 chance of having your property in conservation use.Connected folks have a 1 in 2.6 chance of having conservation use.

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Access Info for Land Sales and Tax Values in Oconee County

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A Taxpayer can go online and check sales of properties in Oconee County.  One can get considerable info at the Tax Assessors Web Site.

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Click on:  http://qpublic.net/ga/oconee/index-search.html

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Go to Search Records (by Owner) and put in last name and then a first name.  It will bring up parcels.  Click on the Parcel No on left side and it will give breakdown as to size, exemption and values.   Then click on Map on right side and it will bring up the map of the property.  You can click on surrounding parcels and the owner name, parcel no etc will come up.

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Back at the home search page you can click on Sales and a list by each month comes up.  You can go through those and see size, sale date and price.

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One can also check Tax Bills status as to year, amount and paid status.  That is located at a Tax Commissioner Site:  http://www.oconeecountytax.com/

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Citizens can be amazed at what they can learn on their home computer.   One can gather much of the info needed for an assessment appeal.

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One can learn who has Conservation Use status by looking at the Code Line about midway down: (V4-Consv Use).   See Conservation Use definition links below.

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COUNTY OFFICIALS AND TAX FIGURES

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OCONEE COMMISSION CHAIR MELVIN DAVIS:Owns 10.93 acres on Oliver Bridge Road (Tax Parcel # C 07 012BA0).   It is the residence and has homestead exemption and Conservation Use status (V4-Consv Use)  

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The 10.93 acres and 3,368 heated sq feet house was valued last year (FMV) at $ 405,680. After Homestead Exemption and Conservation Use treatment, the 2007 tax bill was $ 2,408.47. 

OCONEE COMMISSIONER DONALD NORRIS:Owns 44.73 acres on FAMBROUGH BRIDGE RD (Tax Parcel # C 09 006B) that hasV5-Consv Use classification.

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The Norris tract was valued in 2007 for $ 453,190 (FMV).   The 2007 Tax Bill was only

$ 229.10!!!   This is the tract that Norris bought after the county Improved the road and Tom Little's Real Estate office was subdividing a large tract of land.

CHAIRMAN OF OCONEE TAX ASSESSORS:   Owns two adjacent tracts on Cole Springs Road.Parcel # A 04 017A consists of 4.19 acres and a 2,728 heated sq feet house. It has a classification of V5-Consv Use.   In 2007 it was listed for $ 209,471 (FMV).   The 2007 tax bill was $ 862.99.

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Parcel # A 04 017consists of 3.03 acres and no homestead exemption.   In 2007 it was listed for $ 74,996 (FMV).   It has a classification of V5-Consv Use.   The 2007 tax bill was $ 23.89.

AVOC EDITOR:   Owns 3.97 acres on New High Shoals Road (Tax Parcel # B 06 043A) with 2,202 heated sq feet house.  Classification of R3-Residential - 2007 listed for $ 226,681 (FMV).   The 2007 tax bill was $ 1,984.85.

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Conservation Use Defined 08

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Read this...

http://www.etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/cas/cuse/assmt.aspx

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ANY parcel less than 10 acres in size should be highly suspect unless the owner owns an adjacent parcel that when combined, equal more than 10 acres and both tracts are used in a very similar manner (one should not be your residence).  Theoretically, every parcel should "stand on its own" and qualify, but that's not how its commonly practiced, but the 10 acre issue is hard to get around for wooded land, especially if there is a house on the property.  You can find tracts less than 10 acres with legitimate Agricultural businesses such as poultry houses, nurseries, catfish farms, etc.

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Georgia Department of Revenue

http://www.etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/cas/cuse/assmt.aspx#Conservation%20Use