Agenda - 11-02-2006-5f - Laserfiche WebLink

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i x`* ~}~ ~~ ~t L r •i4~u ,~~3 Wit` `~ ,~ ~}_._~ ~ ~~ •,y~~ ft' "' © c~ a%, - bavid W. Christenbury, Principal 0 920 Corporate Dr. Hillsborough, NC 27278 Tel (919)644-6272 Fax (919)644-6275 ~~i~~l: i'~, ~y4 r August 29, 2OOG Mr. John Smith, Jr. ()range County Tax Assessor P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear Mr. Smith: ~ ~ ~~_'.f }`tV~ib 1113~J~~ ~I I/'~~y~ lfW~SC e~ I a.m. writing in regard to a property tax bill for the year 2006 that was recently sent to "A Public School of Choice, Inc." (Orange Charter School) The assessment is for two parcels of land that are used solely for operating a free, public school., Tract #: 456923 Acct. #: 284248 Bill #: 200673193 Tract #: 456924 Acct. #: 2$4249 Bill #: 200673194 Orange Charter School has been at our current location since August of 2002. At that time, school governance was under the direction of Financial Reform for Excelleizcc in Education (FREE), anon-profit corporation. The board of FREE applied for, and. received tax-exempt status for the school at that tune. In :tune of 2003, the charter for Orange Charter School was officially transferred from FREE to "A Public School of Choice, lnc." The governing body remained anon-profit organization operating a public school. According to the accounting firm that handles our financial affairs, Orange Charter School has never paid property taxes at this location, dtie to tax-exempt status. In .Tiny of. this year, I received a packet of information from the Orange County Assessor's Office regarding an application for property tax exemptio». Since we had. never paid. a.n assessment before, we did not realize that an application was necessary for this year. A tax bill in the amount of $19,495:06 was mailed to us in August, 2006. Today; I phoned the tax assessor's office and spoke v,~i.th Ms. Gail Jones. She advised that the bill was probably the result of the ownership changing bands from FREE to "A I'tiblic School of Choice, Inc." Since that change occurred in June of 2003, it does . not explain why we are just receiving this information. Sh.e suggested that I complete th.e two application forms and send them with this cover letter, explaining our situation and. asking that you accept a late application. The applications are obviously late due to the fact that we were unaware of the need to file an application until July of this year. Please accept the "late" applications along with this detailed explanation and restore our tax- exeinpt status as anon-profit, public school. If additional information is required, please