Property tax revaluation schedule, economic incentives on county commission agenda

Nonprofit agencies will make their case for funding from Buncombe County's upcoming budget for Fiscal Year 2018. A total of 46 nonprofits are asking for an aggregate of almost $11 million.

During its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on awarding the company $54,180 in previously-committed economic incentives to STF Precision, a diamond-tipped cutting tools manufacturing company. The money would come from the county’s general fund.

In 2013, commissioners approved the economic incentives contingent on STF Precision meeting investment and job creation benchmarks. According to documents, STF Precision created 25 new jobs with an average wage of $34,860 per year. In addition to creating the required number of jobs, county documents explain that STF Precision has invested $4.5 million in capital improvements, machinery and equipment. You can view the resolution for economic incentives here.

Commissioners also have two new business agenda items. The first is a resolution to support the designation of Craggy Mountains Wilderness Area. The designation would cover about 3,000 acres of land and would, according the to the resolution, “Safeguard traditional local uses of the land.” Currently the U.S. Forest Service is considering the designation. The commissioner’s resolution would support the federal agency’s move, which ultimately must be approved by Congress. You can view a map of the proposed wilderness area here.

The last agenda item is a resolution to accept the receipt of proposed schedules, standards and rules for appraising property for the recently approved reappraisals. Commissioners approved the revaluation down party lines back in April. The tax assessor has submitted the proposed schedule, but state law requires a public hearing and a final approval. The public hearing concerning property revaluations is set to be held during the commissioners’ meeting on Oct. 4 with final approval of the schedule set for Oct. 18.

You can view the commissioners’ entire agenda here. County commissioners meet at 200 College St. on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

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About Dan Hesse
I grew up outside of Atlanta and moved to WNC in 2001 to attend Montreat College. After college, I worked at NewsRadio 570 WWNC as an anchor/reporter and covered Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners starting in 2004. During that time I also completed WCU's Master of Public Administration program. You can reach me at dhesse@mountainx.com.

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7 thoughts on “Property tax revaluation schedule, economic incentives on county commission agenda

  1. Richard B.

    I am curious as to the relevance of holding a public hearing on the STF Precision incentives money of $54, 180 that was previously committed if the company met certain employment and investment goals.
    They have done so.
    So, are some folks going to show up and argue that we, the taxpayers of Buncombe County, represented by the Board of Commissioners, should not honor our commitments?
    R.

    • bsummers

      So, are some folks going to show up and argue that we, the taxpayers of Buncombe County, represented by the Board of Commissioners, should not honor our commitments?

      Maybe. There are some real dingleberries in this town.

      I’m not a fan of these “give us money or else” deals, but the deal was struck, and I expect the Commission will follow through. In any case, State law requires them to hold a public meeting if public money is being appropriated. That hasn’t happened yet, so…

      • Richard B.

        Thanks for clarifying that the meeting is necessary to meet statute requirements.
        Maybe should have checked that myself.

  2. Lulz

    LOL, the irony. On one end the cronies are going to scam even more money from property owners, On the other, to bribe so “jobs” will relocate here lulz.

    • luther blissett

      One of these days Lulz may answer the question of whether he’d put any real estate he owns on the market at its current assessed value, but somehow I doubt it. He appears to believe that “All property, real and personal, shall as far as practicable be appraised or valued at its true value in money” (NCGS § 105-283) is illegitimate.

      • Lulz

        But you forgot to add rich liberal loon who has never held a real job, the re-evaluations aren’t due for another what, 4 years? What’s the hurry crony? Your friends at the art museum need to scam more property?

        • luther blissett

          “the re-evaluations aren’t due for another what, 4 years?”

          Once again: the NCGS would have kicked in regardless of the usual cycle because of the disparity between assessed rates and market rates. You’re weirdly fixated on falsehoods and fantasies; the reality is that the biggest beneficiaries of the downtown property boom are being subsidized by residential homeowners, especially those out in the county.

          So, you still haven’t answered the question and are just spewing out random chaff again. It’s a simple question, with a simple answer, so I’ll keep asking it: would you put your own real estate on the market at its current assessed value?

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