David Curry

David Curry Answers Some Queries

In communication with Mr. David Curry, candidate for Henry County Tax Commissioner, he offered the following responses:

Here are my thoughts, I certainly hope this helps. And by the way, you are correct. There are processes and rules that all Tax Commissioner’s must follow; yet I truly believe it is one of the most important and critical “public servant” elected offices in the county.

1. Why do you want the job of tax commissioner?

I’ve always wanted to make Henry County –the community where I grew up- a better place. My experience in real estate taught me that the Tax Commissioner’s office is probably the least powerful and most important elected office in the County. The tax commissioner can’t make laws or set tax rates –but every bit of County operations depends on taxes being collected honestly, fairly and with respect for the taxpayers. The tax commissioner must treat taxpayers as customers and needs to be focused on customer service. That’s the kind of person I am and that’s the kind of tax commissioner I’ll be.

2. What will you bring to the table that is different from your opponent(s)?

Andy Pipkin has done a fine job as tax commissioner, and I intend to build on those accomplishments. But I’ll also use the office to educate Henry County homeowners about how they can appeal their property taxes. I want every homeowner to know their options if they want to appeal their tax bill, and I want to give them some say in the amount they’re assessed on their taxes. I haven’t heard any specific proposals from any other candidates, but the tax commissioner’s office isn’t the type of office that needs a lot of politics. It’s really too important for old-style politics or politicians, and I intend to keep it that way.

3. Do you have positions on how assessments are made? (This is a hot spot, but I proved in previous appeals that MLS is often used. Home values are selectively increased based on age and location of the property)

The appraisal process needs to be fair, uniform and transparent for every single taxpayer. That means every property must be appraised using the same method, it needs to be an honest appraisal, and everyone needs to understand it. The property tax process begins with determining “fair market value.” That number is what a knowledgeable buyer would pay a willing seller for a property. That’s really a pretty simple concept, but if a homeowner can’t understand how somebody arrived at that number –then the rest of the process (the 40% assessment, the millage rate levy, etc.) just makes the homeowner madder and madder. And in a situation where somebody’s property taxes have gone up just because some bureaucrat says it should is the most infuriating situation a homeowner can be in, because it’s just not fair. Anyone who uses real estate data (whether from the MLS or FMLS or any other service) should be using sales data (not listing prices) in determining appraisals and comparable values. We’ve all heard the line about anyone who wants to assess me at a certain price ought to have to be willing to pay me that price –but if assessors use the actual data from the actual sales, that’s about as close to true fair market value as anyone is going to get.