Biz Owner Lowers Tax Bill Through Appeal

He was looking at a 30 percent increase in commercial property taxes.

After meeting with the chief deputy property appraiser, Nick Sessa, owner of the Palace Grand in Spring Hill, is now looking at a 10 percent increase. No further appeal will be required.

"It was a little too high in this economy," Sessa said. "We were very quick with a response."

He was referring to a small group of business owners who met last month with Hernando County Property Appraiser Alvin Mazourek.

Sessa, Mazourek and Don Whiting, owner of Whiting Insurance in Spring Hill, walked away from the meeting with a sense of optimism. They were relieved to learn the county would at least try to accommodate them.

Any time a mutual agreement is not reached, the issue could be taken up with a trio of magistrates - known as the Value Adjustment Board - later this month.

Sessa decided he did not need to take that extra step. He reached a satisfying compromise with the appraiser's office.

"We handled it in a professional way," he said.

In 2006, Sessa paid $29,892.74 in taxes, according to property records. That figure was reduced to $26,654.17 in 2007.

A 10 percent increase would make his commercial property tax bill more closely resemble 2006 levels.

"He had a concern," said John Emerson, the chief deputy property appraiser, who met with Sessa after he received his Truth in Millage (TRIM) notice in the mail. "I didn't personally know what happened, but I told him we'd look into it and we did."

Sessa's building, located at 275 Della Court, is unique to any other business site in the county, he said.

Mazourek, who was not involved in later discussions with Sessa, recalled the business was initially designated a restaurant and that was the reason for the higher tax bill.

After further review, the Palace Grand was coded as a "club with a restaurant," Emerson said.

That change significantly altered the value of the property.

"It happens all the time. It's not unusual," said Emerson. "That's why we send out the TRIM notices in the first place. We want people to call us when they have questions."

Property owners are permitted to take their cases directly to the property appraiser's office. If that avenue leads to a dead end, they can go before the VAB.

Sessa offered his venue as a meeting place for other local business owners who plan to take their case before the VAB later this month, he said.

A few weeks ago, during an interview with Hernando Today, Whiting said he was disappointed in his property tax notices, which increased by 24 percent compared to the year before. He said he also knew of business owners who were facing 50 percent increases.

He thought it was unfair to business owners to ask them to pay more taxes at a time when profit margins were dropping to an all-time low due to the economy.

When the TRIM notices went out in August, hundreds of people called the county with questions and concerns, Emerson said.

He expects several more residents and business owners will call the office when they receive their tax bills in the next few weeks.

"We send out 120,000 (bills), so we always expect a lot of calls," he said.