Assessing Property Taxes, Coverage
Your article “Reassessment Is Tough for O.C. Homeowners (Sept. 13)” I believe unfairly indicted Brad Jacobs, the Orange County assessor, and took several of my comments out of context.
Although some county assessors may not have completed a wholesale review of properties for purposes of reducing the property tax assessment value down to market value, Mr. Jacobs and several other assessors have committed major resources to mass reappraisal of properties in accordance with Proposition 8. My comment that “they can’t just pick and choose because they want more tax revenue” was not directed at the Orange County assessor’s office.
In fact, at Assessor Jacobs’ direction, his staff formed two special task force groups and conducted an exhaustive review of approximately 300,000 properties for the 1993 county property tax roll. Both residential and business properties were reviewed. As a result, the assessed values of 62,000 properties were reduced, thereby lowering the tax bill for those property owners.
In addition, 125,000 properties did not receive the 2% increase allowed by Proposition 13. Holding these properties at the 1992 assessments kept the value down to market value.
I believe these efforts reveal a commitment to see that property tax assessments are equal to market value.
MATTHEW K. FONG
Vice Chairman
State Board of Equalization
* The Times has recently published several articles and letters relative to the continuing increase in Orange County property taxes during a drastically falling real estate market.
I am surprised that some enterprising law firm has not yet started a class-action suit on behalf of the affected property owners against County Assessor Bradley L. Jacobs and the Orange County Board of Supervisors to redress the collection of perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars in excess of the legally collectible amount.
I own a medium-priced condominium in the county, and my property alone has been overtaxed by about $1,000 for each of the past three years.
ROBERT L. ALEXANDER
Irvine
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