Orangeburg County residents are now receiving their property reassessment notices after the completion of a two-year process that included the appraisal of more than 64,000 pieces of property.

Every five years, the county is required by state law to reassess the value of property to ensure the tax burden is equitably spread among all tax payers. The assessed value of a property is used in calculating taxes and can be different than the market value.

The notices telling owners of their properties’ new assessed values were mailed out on Sept. 29, said Orangeburg County Auditor Roger Cleckley.

Cleckley said his office hasn’t received any complaints from property owners so far. He said that could change when property tax bills are mailed in November.

Cleckley noted there have been some changes in the process since the last reassessment.

Because of the property tax relief bill passed in 2006, the assessed value of property can not increase more than 15 percent between reassessments. Property is assessed at its full value once it has been sold.

For example, the assessed value of a $100,000 home purchased in 2006 can not increase beyond $115,000 for tax purposes, even if the market value of the home increased by a greater amount.

But if such a property has had an addition added to it, that will be assessed separately and taxed at full market value.

Any property owner who disagrees with his property’s reassessed value can appeal in writing. The deadline is Dec. 27. For more information, call 803-533-6233.

Bamberg County will go through reassessment next year, while Calhoun County will do so in 2011.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060.

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