Journal-News.com

The Butler County Auditor's Office is now scheduling informal reviews and holding town hall meetings to discuss the new property revaluations. It's important to note that property owners may contest and have their values lowered.

Property owners have

several opportunities to contest their current value. The most expedient way is through our informal review process. We will be conducting informal reviews through Oct. 31.

We work for you and I want to assure everyone that during the next several weeks we will do all we can to explain the revaluation process and work with property owners to arrive at a conservative and fair value on your home or business.

State law requires all county auditors to perform a property revaluation once every six years. Butler County has about 165,000 parcels. An outside subcontract firm was hired to conduct the appraisal process. Butler County's revaluation process started in April 2006 and took more than two years to complete.

The appraisers calculated your valuation by using comparable sales from 2006 and 2007 that closely resemble your property in location, size and condition. We were not allowed to use 2008 sales but property owners may use 2008 sales to contest their values. Additionally, we are prohibited from using sheriff sales and we will not go inside your home.

When I took office this April, the revaluation process was nearly complete. I realized that home values were continuing to fall in 2008; therefore, I took two additional steps to reduce values.

First, I requested approval from the state tax commissioner to remove all 2005 sales data from our valuation formula. Secondly, I applied the largest reduction factor on Butler County residential properties in the history of the revaluation process.

The two steps lowered

residential values; however, your home may still be valued too high. The appraisal firm performed a mass appraisal and therefore mistakes can and will be made. Similarly, a mistake was made with mailing duplicate pamphlets, which has been resolved and reimbursed two-fold by the printing company.

I want to resolve any possible discrepancies. Therefore, I invite you to call our office to discuss your new value. Please call our office at (513) 887-3154 and press option 1.

Roger Reynolds is the Butler County auditor.