Jackson County tax digest growth flat

During the boom years, Jackson County’s tax digest grew massively as new construction and property values soared. Even in 2008, the county’s digest — that is the value of all taxable property in the county — grew by nearly eight percent.

But this year, a preliminary county report indicates the digest may grow by only one percent — and that may be a high estimate given the large number of assessment appeals being filed.

The deadline for assessment appeals is July 13. So far, 512 appeals have been filed.


If those appeals prove to be successful, the county’s net taxable digest could shrink further, perhaps even into negative numbers.

Although records are incomplete, the last time the county’s tax digest is known to have moved into negative numbers was during the depression of the 1930s.

While some areas of the county’s gross digest actually grew in the preliminary digest estimates, a decline in agriculture values and a growth in exemptions offset much of the growth.

A worry for county leaders now is that while this year’s digest may stay more or less even, the lack of construction in 2009 could undermine the digest next year even more.