Orange County NC Website
r <br /> • 1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: November 20, 2012 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 5-c <br /> SUBJECT: Property Tax Releases/Refunds <br /> DEPARTMENT: Tax Administration PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Resolution Dwane Brinson, Tax Administrator, <br /> Spreadsheet . (919) 245-2109 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider adoption of a resolution to release property tax values for twenty-five <br /> (25) taxpayer requests that will result in a reduction of revenue. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Tax Administration Office has received twenty-five (25) requests from a <br /> taxpayer for refund of property taxes paid in prior fiscal years. North Carolina General Statute <br /> 105-381(b), "Action of Governing Body" provides that "upon receiving a taxpayer's written <br /> statement of defense and request for release or refund, the governing body of the Taxing Unit <br /> shall within 90 days after receipt of such a request determine whether the taxpayer has a valid <br /> defense to the tax imposed or any part thereof and shall either release or refund that portion of <br /> the amount that is determined to be in excess of the correct liability or notify the taxpayer in <br /> writing that no release or refund will be made". North Carolina law allows the Board to approve <br /> property tax refunds for the current and four previous fiscal years. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: Approval of this change will result in a net reduction in revenue of <br /> $61,117.95 to the County, municipalities, and special districts. The Tax Assessor recognized <br /> that refunds could impact the budget and accounted for these in the annual budget projections. <br /> The total amount of this request is $181,670.87, but of this amount, $120,552.92 represents a <br /> keying error that was not included in the tax base calculations, and therefore has no financial <br /> impact. It should also be noted that staff identified this keying error internally and the taxpayer <br /> did not receive a bill for the incorrect amount. <br /> RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board approve the attached <br /> resolution approving these property tax release/refund requests in accordance with North <br /> Carolina General Statute 105-381. <br />