Vance County property owners will find revaluation information in their mailboxes next month, which will provide information about current market value of homes, as well as business and industrial properties. But it will be later in the year before they’ll know just how that market value calculation will affect their tax bills.
Individual property owners’ bills could go up, go down, or stay about the same – the somewhat fuzzy picture will come into focus as elected officials nail down a budget for next year. Just because your home’s current market value goes up – and it most likely will go up – does not mean that your tax bill will go up, too.
The new values took effect Jan. 1, and tax bills will go out in July. But it won’t be until June that the new tax rate will be determined.
The tax rate is what elected city and county officials will decide on when they’re calculating how much money will be needed to pay for schools, public safety, human services and more.
If the total market value of all the appraised properties increases, that means the county’s overall tax base increases. And that could mean that your tax bill stays pretty much the same, despite the fact that your property’s market value increased.
The county contracted with Vincent Valuations LLC to complete the appraisal, which included every single property in the county. State law requires counties to undertake the revaluation at least every 8 years; the last one completed in Vance County was in 2016.
In addition to complying with state law, a revaluation is necessary to maintain equitable and uniform property values among property owners throughout the county, according to a report prepared by the Vance County Tax Office.
Market value is “the most probable or most likely price that the property would sell for,” the report explained. It is not the highest or the lowest or an average price.
Appraisers look at everything from square footage, building dimensions, type of construction and condition to help determine market value. They also consider heating and cooling systems, plumbing, the age of a building and its usefulness when making their calculations.
Revaluation is done on all residential, commercial and industrial land and structures but not on personal property like motor vehicles and boats, whose market value is adjusted each year
If a property owner reviews the revaluation notification and disagrees with the market value figure, there is a process to appeal.
The tax office report listed several examples of valid – and invalid – reasons to appeal the decision.
Property owners may choose to appeal if the market value “substantially exceeds” the actual market value of the property, or if the market value is inconsistent with the market value of similar properties within the same neighborhood.
It’s not enough, however, to state that the figure is too high or more than the insurance value of the property. Those aren’t valid reasons, the report states.
Individuals who wish to appeal should complete an informal appeal form and return it via U.S. Postal Service, fax or email.
Mail completed forms to:
Vance County Tax Office
Attn: Revaluation
122 Young St. Suite E
Henderson, NC 27536
Completed forms may be faxed to 252.738.2059 or emailed to taxoffice@vancecounty.org.
Chamber’s Leadership Vance 2024 Forming – Applications Due Feb. 2 By 5 P.M.
/by WIZS StaffThe Leadership Vance 2024 application process is open through Friday, Feb. 2 and Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson said participants will get an in-depth look at the county, from its rich history and varied amenities to business and industry growth and much more.
Applications should be received by 5 p.m. on Feb. 2, Wilkerson said.
“Leadership Vance is a proven, structured program, designed to create a corps of informed and dedicated emerging leaders in our community,” Wilkerson said. Upon graduation, the program participants will be qualified to meet the present and future challenges facing Henderson and Vance County. During the months-long program, participants will get a chance to learn about all aspects of the community in which they live and work.
They also will get to learn about volunteer civic and community opportunities, as well as gain valuable insight to boost their business and career goals.
For more information, contact Wilkerson at 252.438.8414 or via email at sandra@hendersonvance.org.
TownTalk: Housing And Discrimination
/by Laura GabelFinding a new place to live can create all kinds of feelings, from excitement to anxiety. But looking for a new place where you and your family call home should NOT make you feel like you’re being discriminated against.
Hope Williams, supervising attorney with N.C. Legal Aid’s Fair Housing Project, said anyone who feels like they have encountered discrimination during the search for a place to live has some recourse.
The Fair Housing Act became law in 1968, a time when discrimination may have been more blatant. “We are still fighting to stop discrimination in housing,” she said on Monday’s TownTalk, although today’s cases may be more subtle – and perhaps more difficult to prove.
She said her office has three attorneys that serve the whole state. They are able to represent some clients, but they simply don’t have the staff to take on all the cases.
“We talk to people who call us and we give them advice about their legal issues,” she said. They help clients file administrative complaints with the federal Housing and Urban Development agency and with the N.C. Human Relations Commission.
They also focus on community education and training to raise awareness about what discrimination is and what it looks like. For instance, many people wrongly assume that fair housing rules only apply to subsidized housing. Not true. It applies to all housing.
Administrative complaints must be filed within one year of the encounter; there is an option to file a complaint in the courts system, which has a two-year window.
One piece of advice Williams has for anyone who feels that they have been the subject of housing discrimination: document everything.
Looking at interactions and communications over time sometimes can help provide critical evidence. “We make timelines to look for patterns,” she said.
Many complaints come from individuals with disabilities. Landlords must comply with “reasonable accommodations” that allow disabled people access. In such cases, the tenant is responsible for the cost of the accommodation – think wheelchair ramp or other physical structure – and for returning the dwelling to its original state if and when they vacate the dwelling.
The bottom line is a landlord can’t just refuse to allow a reasonable accommodation.
Same thing with a service animal, Williams said. A person who uses a service animal would be responsible for any damage by an animal, but he or she can’t be required to pay an upfront pet fee.
Call the Fair Housing Project’s direct line at N.C. Legal Aid at 855.797.FAIR.
Visit www.fairhousingnc.org to learn more.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 01-22-24 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Invasive Plants
/by Bill HarrisListen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
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Property Revaluations Hit County Mailboxes In February
/by WIZS StaffVance County property owners will find revaluation information in their mailboxes next month, which will provide information about current market value of homes, as well as business and industrial properties. But it will be later in the year before they’ll know just how that market value calculation will affect their tax bills.
Individual property owners’ bills could go up, go down, or stay about the same – the somewhat fuzzy picture will come into focus as elected officials nail down a budget for next year. Just because your home’s current market value goes up – and it most likely will go up – does not mean that your tax bill will go up, too.
The new values took effect Jan. 1, and tax bills will go out in July. But it won’t be until June that the new tax rate will be determined.
The tax rate is what elected city and county officials will decide on when they’re calculating how much money will be needed to pay for schools, public safety, human services and more.
If the total market value of all the appraised properties increases, that means the county’s overall tax base increases. And that could mean that your tax bill stays pretty much the same, despite the fact that your property’s market value increased.
The county contracted with Vincent Valuations LLC to complete the appraisal, which included every single property in the county. State law requires counties to undertake the revaluation at least every 8 years; the last one completed in Vance County was in 2016.
In addition to complying with state law, a revaluation is necessary to maintain equitable and uniform property values among property owners throughout the county, according to a report prepared by the Vance County Tax Office.
Market value is “the most probable or most likely price that the property would sell for,” the report explained. It is not the highest or the lowest or an average price.
Appraisers look at everything from square footage, building dimensions, type of construction and condition to help determine market value. They also consider heating and cooling systems, plumbing, the age of a building and its usefulness when making their calculations.
Revaluation is done on all residential, commercial and industrial land and structures but not on personal property like motor vehicles and boats, whose market value is adjusted each year
If a property owner reviews the revaluation notification and disagrees with the market value figure, there is a process to appeal.
The tax office report listed several examples of valid – and invalid – reasons to appeal the decision.
Property owners may choose to appeal if the market value “substantially exceeds” the actual market value of the property, or if the market value is inconsistent with the market value of similar properties within the same neighborhood.
It’s not enough, however, to state that the figure is too high or more than the insurance value of the property. Those aren’t valid reasons, the report states.
Individuals who wish to appeal should complete an informal appeal form and return it via U.S. Postal Service, fax or email.
Mail completed forms to:
Vance County Tax Office
Attn: Revaluation
122 Young St. Suite E
Henderson, NC 27536
Completed forms may be faxed to 252.738.2059 or emailed to taxoffice@vancecounty.org.
Red Cross To Host Volunteer Open House Jan. 25 In Granville County
/by WIZS StaffGranville County doesn’t currently have a chapter of the American Red Cross, but a group of local organizers are planning a Volunteer Open House to share information about what it will take to form a volunteer team there.
The open house will take place Thursday, Jan. 25 at The Venue at HighRock Farm, located at 2317 Enon Rd., Oxford from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Red Cross is known for blood drives and disaster relief efforts across the globe. But did you know that the organization also needs volunteers to help deliver the blood that gets donated and that most of the U.S. disasters are house fires?
“Just knowing that someone is there to lend a helping hand during these trying times provides a light of hope for Granville County residents,” said Laurie Hughes, Executive Director of the Greater Triangle Area Chapter, American Red Cross of North Carolina. “Please join us by resolving to help as a Red Cross volunteer and ensure no one faces life’s emergencies alone.”
The open house is free and all ages are welcome. There will be Hands Only CPR training, and participants can learn more about all the volunteer opportunities available with the Red Cross.
Light refreshments will be served, and organizers would like anyone interested in attending to RSVP by contacting Lesley Ireland at 919.709.8129 or Lesley.Ireland@redcross.org.
The need for volunteers is constant. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to learn more, including the most-needed positions:
VGCC Celebrates MLK At Jan. 23 Event
/by WIZS StaffInformation courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel
The community is invited to Vance-Granville Community College Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 12:30 p.m. to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The celebration, titled “Decreasing Inequities and Increasing Opportunities” is hosted by the VGCC Men’s Achievement Academy and V.I.E.W., Vance-Granville’s Initiative on Equity for Women.
The event will be held at the VGCC Main Campus Civic Center and is free to attend.
“Expect an inspiring speech from Dr. Kelvin Bullock, Executive Director for Equity & Professional Development for Durham Public Schools, as well as songs from the VGCC Staff Choir,” said VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.
Please RSVP at www.vgcc.edu to help event organizers get a count of projected attendance. Refreshments will be served.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 01-19-24 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Golden Leaf Scholarship Application Period Open Now For 2024-25
/by WIZS StaffApplications are being accepted now for the 2024-25 Golden LEAF Colleges and Universities scholarships, which assists incoming college freshmen and transfer students pay for school.
There are more than 200 scholarships that will be awarded, according to information from the office of N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon, whose District 32 includes Vance and most of Granville counties. Students in both counties are eligible to apply based on criteria that include being rural counties, economically distressed and tobacco dependent.
The scholarships could be as much as $14,000 – that breaks down to $3,500 a year for four years – for incoming freshmen attending a North Carolina college or university. Students transferring from a N.C. community college can get $3,500 a year for up to three years.
Students must be a graduating North Carolina high school senior or a currently enrolled North Carolina community college transfer student, enrolling full-time in the fall 2024 semester at a participating North Carolina public or private college or university. If a student intends to return to a rural North Carolina county after graduation, this can increase his or her chances of earning the scholarship.
Applicants must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need as determined by the application process; have a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5; and be a resident of a rural North Carolina county that is economically distressed and/or tobacco dependent.
For more information, visit CFNC.org or scholars.goldenleaf.org/apply/colleges-and-universities/.
Study: McGregor Hall Huge Boost For City’s Economic Health
/by Laura GabelAs McGregor Hall gears up for another jam-packed season of concerts, plays and more, its Executive Director Mark Hopper knows that a well-attended event at the downtown venue creates a big ripple effect felt throughout the city.
And Hopper has a study to back him up.
Well, it’s in draft form, but the board got the initial results at the meeting earlier this week.
“The numbers that we see, so far, are very exciting,” Hopper said during Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny.”
A previous economic impact study looked at a 12-month period during 2018-2019, and results indicated that McGregor Hall contributed just shy of $3 million to the city’s economy.
The most recent study looks at the 4-year period between 2019 and 2022 and it states that McGregor Hall contributed about $15.6 million during that time. And, Hopper reminded, two of those years the venue was shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When folks come to a competition, show or concert in downtown Henderson, there’s a good chance that they’re going to find a restaurant or lodging, too, Hopper said.
Those meals and overnight stays add up over time and put more money in local businesses and tax revenues as well.
One revision Hopper and the board would like to see is a year-by-year breakdown so they can have a better idea of impact per year.
The study is looking only at McGregor Hall’s impact within the city limits, but Hopper said the county surely benefits as well and folks in the tourism department are always happy to talk up events at McGregor Hall.
“Pam (Hester) has been on our team since Day 1,” Hopper said. “She’s been a great advocate for us.”
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Coming up at the end of January, legendary beach music band The Tams will perform, followed by some beach music with a West Coast flavor when Sail On – The Beach Boys Tribute comes to town on Friday, Feb. 9.
McGregor Hall will host Contemporary Christian musician Michael W. Smith on Thursday, Mar. 7 at 7:30 p.m.
“This is a big one for us – we’re on his national tour,” Hopper said.
And comedian Karen Knotts will take the stage on Sunday, Mar. 17 for a matinee performance called “Tied Up In Knotts,” a time to entertain the audience with stories about her dad, Don Knotts.
Visit mcgregorhall.org for a complete schedule of events and to purchase tickets.