McCarty says someone should sue the state over appraisals.

Boca Raton News - The Leader in Local News Online:

Published Thursday, October 19, 2006 by By John Johnston For Commissioner Mary McCarty, problems with the current property tax system can be reduced to three main issues: • People who currently receive a homestead exemption are 'trapped in their homes' because to move would mean substantially higher taxes in a market that has seen real estate prices explode over the last five years. She advocates so-called 'portability' – transfer of the homestead exemption to another property. • Home renovations are also not being done, she said, 'because of the tax hit.' • And perhaps the single largest issue in McCarty's eyes is the latitude given to property tax appraisers in application of the eight state guidelines to follow in making property appraisals. In a skyrocketing real estate market, assessing a property on the basis of its 'highest and best use' is forcing landlords to either 'increase rents, or convert to condos,' she said. There is too much property appraiser discretion,' she said, having already gone on the record recently favoring both the current use of a property and its currently income as needing more weight in Palm Beach County Appraiser Gary Nikolits' appraisal formula. McCarty's comments came earlier this week during a general discussion among county commissioners to develop positions that County Legislative Affairs Director Todd Bonlarron could then use in Tallahassee lobbying efforts to in turn amend the state constitution. The discussion eventually supported McCarty's positions, although support for an additional $25,000 homestead exemption was added to the county's wish list. Commissioner Warren Newell also pointed out a pet peeve: the 'abuse' of agricultural land tax exemptions, but on which land 'there are only 3 cows.' Asked by commissioners for his view on the current climate in Tallahassee for property tax reform Bonlarron agreed 'there are inequities across the board' in the current property tax system.' I think the state of Florida is going to do something,' Bonlarron said. Nonetheless, McCarty wants to press the issue. 'I wish somebody would file suit,' she said. She wants someone to challenge the latitude sanctioned by the state, with some property tax appraisers giving much greater weight to 'highest and best use' standards in making appraisals, whereas other appraisers -- i.e., the appraiser in neighboring Broward County -- giving much greater weight to other standards. 'I don't know why somebody hasn't challenged this,' McCarty said. 'Instead of talking about how we structure homestead exemption, we need to talk about the real problems.' John Johnston can be reached at 561-549-0833, or at jjohnston@bocanews.com