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Hernando Today

Appraiser Responds To Letter Writer's Inaccuracies

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 10, 2008

Re: Response to Mr. Ronald Dixon, appearing in the Feb. 8 Hernando Today.

Once again I find myself having to correct Mr. Dixon in a very public forum and will again encourage him to visit me personally in order to explain Florida's Property Tax System.

Mr. Dixon's statement that I establish "future property value assessments" is simply wrong.

As I explained in the August 2007 response to Mr. Dixon, property taxes are assessed in arrears. That is, the date of valuation is Jan. 1 of each year using the prior year's sales. I do not have a crystal ball to predict the future.

The Notice of Proposed Taxes (TRIM) that every property owner in Hernando County will receive in mid-August will show the actual Jan. 1, 2008, assessment, utilizing 2007 data. It is not a projection of a future assessment.

Initial 2007 data indicates a market decline of 10 to 12 percent, which could be significantly higher in certain sectors such as vacant residential land.

I am very concerned about the local foreclosure rate and have participated in several meetings with various government departments and agencies in order to assist them to better track the foreclosures from the beginning of the process in an attempt to keep people in their homes.

In the past few months, as a result of the proposed legislation, we have met with many community groups and organizations throughout the county for presentations and discussions to keep the residents informed. With the recent passage of the Low Income Seniors Exemption (Save Our Seniors) and Amendment 1, this office is busily taking applications for Homestead, Save our Homes portability and Save our Seniors.

For those residents with Internet access, I encourage you to visit our Web site at www.hernandocounty.us/pa for specific qualifying information on these valuable tax exemptions and frequently asked questions that may assist you through the application process.

If you don't have access to the Internet, please call the office at 352-754-4190 with questions you may have, and we can send you an informational flyer in the mail.

As an elected constitutional officer, I am obliged to carry out the duties of my office with cooperation and oversight provided by the Florida Department of Revenue, not the Board of County Commissioners.

The framers of the Florida Constitution wisely created "Constitutional Offices" that cooperate with, but are independent of, the Board of County Commissioners, thereby eliminating any impression of impropriety or collusion.

I adamantly defend Mr. Dixon's right to freedom of speech. I just wish he would use his letter to the editor to provide correct information as well.

Alvin R. Mazourek, CFA

Hernando County

property appraiser

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