Agenda - 04-03-2012 - 6b - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 made less costly and onerous, and become more relevant for local governments. Forestry Notification Property owners currently do not receive any notification of impending forestry activities planned for adjoining properties. Orange County believes the State should at a minimum implement a courtesy notification process for adjoining property owners . Machinery Act North Carolina property tax law substantially limits the ability of local governments to address property tax discrepancies, such as prohibiting the refund of prior years' taxes paid after a measurement and/or condition property appraisal error is discovered. Orange County believes that local governments need more flexibility to remedy such errors. Just as local governments can recoup prior years' property taxes from owners for "discoveries", local governments should likewise be authorized to refund prior years' taxes paid when situations such as measurement . and/or condition property appraisal errors are discovered. Homestead Exemption Orange County believes Homestead Exemption provisions of the Machinery Act should be reformed to: 1) provide greater opportunities for low-income seniors to remain in their homes and not be displaced due to property tax burdens; 2) eliminate the discriminatory features of the exemption provisions relating to couples; and 3) address the ineffectiveness of the exemption provisions in communities where property values ', increase at substantial rates over short periods j of time. * Court Facility Fees Orange County recently completed an $11 million justice facility expansion, a substantial investment for the County. Like other North Carolina counties, the County receives limited financial support for the construction of judicial facilities as well as the on-going annual facility operation and maintenance. As court fees and jail housing fees are reduced, Orange County believes counties should be