Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: October 6, 2015 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-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 /> Releases/Refunds Data Spreadsheet (919) 245-2726 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider adoption of a resolution to release property tax values for twenty (20) <br /> taxpayers with a total of thirty-three (33) bills that will result in a reduction of revenue. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Tax Administration Office has received twenty taxpayer requests for <br /> release or refund of property taxes. North Carolina General Statute 105-381(b), "Action of <br /> Governing Body" provides that "upon receiving a taxpayer's written statement of defense and <br /> request for release or refund, the governing body of the Taxing Unit shall within 90 days after <br /> receipt of such a request determine whether the taxpayer has a valid defense to the tax <br /> imposed or any part thereof and shall either release or refund that portion of the amount that is <br /> determined to be in excess of the correct liability or notify the taxpayer in writing that no release <br /> or refund will be made". North Carolina law allows the Board to approve property tax refunds for <br /> the current and four previous fiscal years. <br /> This month's report includes several bill release requests for exempt properties. While the tax <br /> office has an extensive and comprehensive quality control component to the billing process, <br /> these exempt properties escaped the parameters and bills were generated. Moreover, these <br /> exemptions are not new; in years past the properties were fully exempt as well. Additional <br /> parameters have already been established to minimize these instances moving forward. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: Approval of this change will result in a net reduction in revenue of <br /> $4,482.04 to the County, municipalities, and special districts. The Tax Assessor recognized that <br /> refunds could impact the budget and accounted for these in the annual budget projections. <br /> Approval of this also will result in the release of $116,972.98 of exempt property tax bills. <br /> Approving the release of said exempt property tax bills has no direct impact on budgeted <br /> revenues as revenues from these properties was not considered during budget estimation. <br /> SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated <br /> with this item. <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 />