The board voted for that audit Tuesday, and on Wednesday, commissioner Bill James suggested in an email to Jones that a group of citizens be appointed "to work with the auditor providing the information they have collected about the flaws in the revaluation process." James recommended that each of the commissioners nominate a Mecklenburg resident to be on the committee.
Such committees have been formed before to help tackle county issues, James told the editorial board - including a "blue ribbon" committee that tackled the size and makeup of the board of commissioners in the 1990s.
It's a good idea, with some caveats. As we said Monday, the 2011 revaluation has prompted some legitimate questions and concerns. The effect of foreclosures was not treated the same across the county, and pockets of the county were assessed values that seemed out of whack with the market. County residents need to have faith in the reval - and the tax system it helps support.
A citizens review panel works, however, only if the commissioners appoint responsibly. That means level-headed citizens who approach the assignment with a discerning but fair skepticism - not angry residents inclined to dismiss any explanation that doesn't fit a predetermined agenda. We'd also like to see appointed members with relevant backgrounds - real estate, of course, but also accounting and knowledge of research methodology.
Most important, the purpose of the audit and citizens' review board - and how they work with each other - should be made clear. We want a review that determines if the 2011 reval was equitable and reflected true values of Mecklenburg properties. We want the review board to have access to the research and input into the process - but not to the point where it becomes meddlesome and disruptive.
A note: Citizens already can have some say in the reval process as appointed members of the Board of Equalization and Review, which hears taxpayers' appeals on assessed values. The issue at hand, however, is more systemic. The county needs to know what, if anything, is wrong with the revaluation process. An auditor is a good step toward finding those answers. A citizens' review panel provides an extra layer of comfort.
Peter St. Onge
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