LAKEPORT — At its last meeting of the year, the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Tuesday approved working to resolve appeals for the county as the Lake County Board of Equalization.
Assessor-Recorder Doug Wacker approached the supervisors asking they schedule some property owner assessment appeals hearings for property taxes in early 2012 to catch up. The supervisors would convene as the Board of Equalization during the meetings. Wacker said the county is backlogged, with 99 appeals remaining from 2010 and about 475 appeals in 2011.
Wacker said he was hoping some would be resolved before a hearing date. County Counsel Anita Grant suggested Wacker have staff work on appeals that can be resolved and schedule any that cannot.
Wacker asked if the supervisors would be available for the hearings on alternating Wednesdays starting Feb. 8 and ending May 2. A few of the supervisors said they would not always be available because of other appointments, such as regular meetings for Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO), the Lake County/City Area Planning Council (APC) and yet-to-be-scheduled constituent meetings.
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington suggested having a minimum of three supervisors at the meetings. Grant said votes with less than five supervisors would have to be unanimous. Farrington suggested the possibility of scheduling some appeals hearings for afternoon sessions of regular BOS meetings. District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown said the BOS should devote that time to other obligations and county departments.
Initially, the BOS approved the property assessment hearings for two dates in February, March, April, and one date in May. District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing asked during the afternoon session if the meetings could be for the second and fourth Wednesdays beginning on Feb. 8. Supervisors Jeff Smith and Jim Comstock were happy with this because they would not miss LAFCO or APC meetings. The Lake County Board of Equalization will hold appeals hearings on the second and fourth Wednesdays beginning Feb. 8. The meetings will be open to the public but public comment is not allowed.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14.
