Property Tax Confusion Needs Fix

Dear Editor,

I am writing this because I think we can do a better job of how we communicate about property tax bills, assessments, notifications and simplifying a process that seems more complicated than it should be. 

I am going to share my experience as a newcomer to Water Valley and what my experience has been as a long-term real estate investor. 

After moving to Water Valley in March of 2025 and purchasing a home that is now my homestead, I was eager to make sure that my mailing address was changed to my new location. So, I went into the appraisal office and talked to staff and updated my mailing address and completed necessary paperwork. This part seemed to go smoothly, and I did ask questions about the tax process here and how things were done. I got answers but nothing seemed very clear.

Asking to get an appraisal value and some idea on what the taxes would be seemed to be my first challenge. It was the year that appraisals would be done (every 4 years) and since I had just purchased the property all of these things would be looked at. 

And to be fair, I felt like staff did a good job of sending out an appraiser and looking at repairs and deferred maintenance and coming up with a fair value. Staff was always very helpful and answered my questions the best they could.

However, I think the process of communicating with people and how late in the year this entire process is done, could be improved. 

From my understanding, most home assessment values aren’t mailed out at all (unless there is a very large increase), and most people don’t get any notice mailed to them. If you call in and ask, they will send values to you (if available) or tell you over the phone. 

However, most people don’t think about their property taxes until the bill arrives sometime at the end of the year.

When the bill due isn’t mailed out until late November or December people have missed the ability to say or do anything about it or to dispute the tax appraisal. 

Sending a bill out so late in the year also gives people very little time to save, plan or prepare to pay the bill. Getting a large bill at the end of the year is also very stressful for people because now you are in holiday mode and have those added expenses and things to pay and think about. 

Here are some suggestions and ideas that I think if implemented would make things easier for everyone:

All Property Tax 

Information Online

In case you didn’t know this, property tax information is not online in Water Valley, MS. If you want real-time data about your house, land or business, you will have to call the tax assessor’s office or go by in person.

I know every county is different (many counties in MS are online), but if you want to continue to increase people’s taxes (which seems to be the case) more transparency is 100% needed. 

Being online helps everyone in so many ways. It reduces the workload for staff (with the common questions being answered online), and it creates a host of opportunities and accountability for people unable to make it into the office. 

Being online helps builders, investors, people evaluating assessments and tax bills, verification of mailing addresses, etc. 

Most of all being online creates fairness and transparency. 

Tax Assessments Notices Are Mailed Out To Everyone 

Everyone gets an assessment statement (post card, email or letter) by the end of March or April of every year. 

This notice includes the value assessment of the property and when the actual date is that you have to protest it by, and what that process looks like (an online link to go to for more information or details can be included in the mailing). 

This should also explain how the millage rate affects the final bill and what that timeline is. 

Note: As MS moves in the direction to reduce or eliminate income taxes, it is simultaneously increasing property taxes. People in Mississippi who haven’t really paid attention to their property taxes are now starting to do so. 

I recently hired a contractor and we got on the subject of property taxes. He said that his bill as a homesteader went up over $800 this year and that he didn’t even know about the increase until he received a bill. Unfortunately, I think this is common.

When I recently noticed two pages of people with delinquent taxes in the paper I realized I needed to write this and say something. 

If the goal is to have people pay property taxes on time and to get them paid by the February deadline each year, we need to do everything we can to assist and educate them. I can’t imagine how much work, time and costs are involved in property tax collections and how this affects the city/state’s in its ability to operate. 

By communicating better with the public and sooner in the year, we can create a win/win situation for everyone. 

List the Physical Property Address on the tax bills in addition to the Legal Description (not just an issue in MS)

If you are fortunate enough to have more than one property and you receive a tax notice with the legal address and have no way of looking that up online, you have to go back to the office again or call someone to get this. 

Late Year Analysis and Mailings (not just an issue in MS)

If you are not mailing and receiving property taxes until late November or December then you are really only giving people a very short window to pay property taxes.  Really just a matter of weeks. Also, they won’t be able to receive credit for the current year.

Yes you have until late February of the next year to pay, but you lose the benefits of claiming the tax credit for the current year.

I always try to pay property taxes the same year that I want to deduct them. I assume most people want this option as well. 

Conclusion 

With a few changes a lot can be accomplished. The entire process needs to be started much earlier in the year so people can dispute increases, and receive the bill earlier (by September or October) and have more time to prepare to pay the bill. 

It was not until the very end of 2025 that I ever got a clear answer on what the final amount due would be and a short window to get that paid. And when the bill arrived the property tax bill for my current home was much higher than a similar priced home in my previous state which was known for high property taxes. 

This is not acceptable. 

Some of these issues are local, and some of these are state issues but my real question is:

Is this the best we can do?

Scott Smith