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PASCAGOULA — Jackson County leaders say now is the time for homeowners to look at the value the county has placed on their homes and property and file a protest if they think it’s still too high.

Even though it’s not an official reappraisal year, the county tax assessor’s office did a computer reappraisal of Jackson County in part because of the outrage over higher property taxes last year.

Nick Elmore, with the assessor’s office, said that values changed on about 15 percent of the property.

The area benefiting the most is the west side of the county, Ocean Springs and north, where property owners complain that last year’s reappraisal put artificially high values on their property.

Property values are the basis by which homeowners are taxed. County supervisors, cities and school districts set the tax rate which is applied to the property value to determine the actual tax a property owner pays.

Property owners in Jackson County who disagree with the value set on their property can take it up with the Tax Assessor’s Office, Elmore said.

If they have done this and do not feel satisfied, they can file a protest with the Chancery Clerk’s office today and take the matter up with the Board of Supervisors Monday.

To see the value the county has set on a piece of property, Supervisor John McKay suggests a homeowner call Assessor Benny Goff’s office, 769-3199 or 769-3202, their county supervisor or go online to the county Web site: co.jackson.ms.us and use the mapping icon to search by owner name or parcel number.

Posted at www.sunherald.com on July 30, 2009

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