Chattooga County residents began seeing tax assessments arrive in the mail on Monday and many were in for a shock.  Property assessments are up over 30% in the county.  Much of that is due to the higher prices that properties have been bringing over the past several years. 

While some took to social media on Monday to express their dismay about the notice in the mail, property owners should be aware that what you are receiving now is just the tax assessment.  The actual tax bill won’t be arriving until later this year after Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry and the Chattooga County Board of Education set the millage rate.  Property owners won’t know their exact bill, until those millage rates are set.

Chattooga County Tax Commissioner Joy Hampton told WZQZ News on Monday evening, “The mail arriving in mailboxes this week is not a bill. Please do not send payment as the tax amount shown at the bottom is not a final number. These mailings are Assessment notices that the Board of Assessors is required to send to property owners. The notice will state “this is not a bill”. Bills will go out in September or October after millage rates are set and final numbers are calculated. I would like to remind our residents that pre-payments can be made in smaller increments in my office to help offset the bills. Property owners can stop by to sign up for this “layaway” plan. I will also issue a press release later this week concerning the Homeowner’s Tax Relief Grant that will be applied before bills go out”.

Commissioner Elsberry has said that he would like to roll the millage rate back in order to help property owners with the increased property values.

Property owners can appeal their property tax assessment with the Chattooga County Board of Assessors.