The Marion County Board has added money to the budget to begin addressing the county’s property assessment problems that were detailed in a study released last week.
Board Chair Steve Whritenour agreed with most of the board to move quickly to begin addressing the inequities.
“For a county-wide reassessment of the commercial properties, an estimate that he gave was $750,000,” Whritenour said. “Now we have that in the budget. There’s going to be a lot more discussion on that topic. We have had that study for eight days. Timing wise, it’s just how the budget came out, and the study came out at the same time.”
To make up the $750,000 being added to the general fund, the current line for correctional officer line item in the sheriff’s budget will be moved to the separate expenditures from the quarter cent public safety tax. There was general consensus that the $2.5 million to reassess all property in the county was too much to do all at once.
Sheriff Kevin Cripps wasn’t happy with taking more money from the public safety tax money, fearing it will have consequences if the jail needs major improvements down the road.
Board members Sharon Woodward, Adam Smith, Tim McCance and Jack Riley voted against adding the $750,000 to the budget.
When asked when Supervisor of Assessments Mark Miller would have a chance to respond to the report, Whritenour said he was scheduled to do so at the December board meeting.
