Wake up, Walton: Demand lower taxes

This is an open letter to the local government of Walton County.

The time is now that you accept the responsibility entrusted to you by the voting public of Walton County. Please hear and accept the voices spoken loud and clear for many months concerning our ever increasing property taxes.

I just received my notice of proposed property taxes for next year and was shocked to see that you and Patrick Pilcher once again had worked the numbers to give us a tax increase rather than tax relief.

Mr. Pilcher’s office dropped the market value of my home by $228,222 for ‘09 versus ‘08. That is a fourteen plus percent loss of market value.
The taxable value for ‘09 is the normal three percent increase over the taxable value of  ‘08. This method of math allows our tax office to wipe out the additional $25,000 Homestead Exemption and pass on yet another year of higher taxes.

The property owners of Walton County must expect and receive fair and balanced leadership willing to address the present market conditions and allow for tax relief so badly needed.

It is time for each body of our county to accept the fact that our method of taxing must change and allow for decreased taxes as demanded by the majority of our population.

William H. Chandler
Miramar Beach