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