Hamilton County assessor briefs Collegedale commission on reappraisal notices, tax-rate timing

Marty Haynes, Hamilton County assessor of property, told the City of Collegedale Commission on April 28 that the county has sent the bulk of reappraisal notices and urged residents to use the county’s review process rather than assume higher taxes.

Haynes said the office has mailed roughly 70,000 of about 85,000 notices to property owners and is fielding “300 to 350 phone calls a day” from concerned residents. He said many calls ask how much the reassessment will increase an owner’s tax bill.

“Your taxes will be the certified tax rate,” Haynes said, explaining that Tennessee law requires each local government to set a certified rate that produces the same ad valorem revenue as the prior year except for growth from new construction, improvements or deletions. He said the certified tax rate for Hamilton County and municipalities will be released in early to mid July.

Haynes described how assessed values and tax burdens are calculated: residential property is assessed at 25% of appraised value, commercial and industrial at 40%, state-assessed properties at 55% and business personal property at 30%. He said residential sales used for valuation are “qualified sales” — arm’s-length transactions recorded with the Register of Deeds — and that foreclosures, estate auctions and some distressed sales are excluded under state rules.

Haynes gave deadlines for informal reviews: May 9 for residential properties and May 16 for commercial properties. He encouraged owners who disagree with their notice to contact the assessor’s office at 209-7990 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for an informal review.

Haynes said median value increases vary by place: countywide median increases were higher (he cited roughly a 56% median county increase), while Collegedale’s median increase is lower, around 51–52 percent in his estimates. He told the commission he would email exact mean/median/mode figures for Collegedale on request.

Haynes also summarized property tax relief options for older adults, veterans and disabled residents. He said Tennessee’s Property Tax Relief program — administered through the county trustee — and related county matching provisions are available and that eligibility and benefit levels change annually.

Why it matters: reassessments change taxable values but do not automatically increase municipal revenue; certified tax rates typically decline after reappraisals so that jurisdictions receive roughly the same revenue absent new construction. Residents seeking changes to their notices must act by the informal-review deadlines Haynes provided.