County Sees Four Percent Growth Rate

By David Howell
Editor

COFFEEVILLE – An annual tradition, Yalobusha County Tax Collector/Assessor Linda Shuffield presented the 2009  tax rolls to supervisors during a Tuesday meeting held in Coffeeville on July 7. The meeting was pushed from the regular “first Monday” date to Tuesday after state and county office were closed Monday.

    The real and personal roll consists of all houses, acres, business and industries in Yalobusha County, but does not include automobiles and utility assessments.

    “My deputies and staff have compiled this list for the supervisors,” Shuffield said. “We have traveled some 6,800 miles,” Shuffield told county officials. The report indicated there are five new land parcels, which bring the total number of parcels to 12,246 in the county.

    With the presentation, Yalobusha supervisors learned the total assessed value of the county increased 4.4 percent, almost doubling last year’s growth rate of two percent. The biggest factors in this growth were attributed to equipment added at three industries in the county, Valley Tool Inc., BorgWarner and Windsor Foods, which also increased its building size.  All three industries were granted a 10-year tax exemption on the additions. In addition to the industrial additions, Shuffield reported there was $695,405 in new construction in the county.

    The 4.4 percent increase in assessed value in Yalobusha, or $4,805,054, brings the  total assessed value for Yalobusha to $74,169,067. Last year’s assessed value was $71,053,201.        In her report, Shuffield said 42 new houses were added to the tax rolls, which is three less than the previous year. In 2005, 43 new homes were added; in 2006, 37 new homes were added; and in 2007 only 28 new homes constructed were added to the tax list.

    In a similar five-year period the total assessed value, including real and personal property has risen almost $14,693,769. Of that amount, almost 7.5 million was added 2007 in a state-mandated re-alignment after a reassessment of Yalobusha property.

Real Property Roll

    Shuffield gave supervisors a break-down on the real property roll by beat compared to 2008. In Beat One, there was a $31,493 increase. In Beat Two, there was a $13,431 decrease. Beat Three had an increase of $80,801. Beat Four recorded the largest increase with $838,983. In Beat Five, there was a $142,333 decrease.

    “There was a $795,513 increase in the land roll,” Shuffield said.

Personal Property Roll

    Shuffield also presented a beat  break-down in the personal property tax roll, compared to the previous year. Beat One had a substantial increase, $1,778,861, which coupled with a $2,200,783 increase in Beat Four were the driving factors in the total increase in the county. In Beat Two there was a $9,033 increase. In Beat Three, there was a $63,709 decrease. In Beat Five there was a $42,845 decrease.

    The total increase in the personal roll was $4,009,541.

Land Use Values Setting The Budget

    The tax assessor-collector’s visit to the Board of Supervisors meeting in Coffeeville was in compliance with state law regulating the tax procedures of county government. That process culminates each year during September when supervisors adopt a budget for the fiscal year, which begins October 1.

    The real and personal property tax assessment tax rolls are ready for inspection and examination. Any objections to the assessment can be made in writing and filed with the clerk of the Board of Supervisors before July 31.

    The board will hear any objections in Water Valley on August 3, at 9 a.m. and in Coffeeville on August 4 at 9 a.m.