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Board upholds 2007 Boise tax bill The Clarke County Board of Equalization upheld Boise's 2007 tax bill as set by state appraisers Tuesday, rejecting Boise's appeal for lower figures. The ruling could set up another court litigation like the 2006 tax case that still has not been resolved. At stake for Clarke County public schools, Thomasville city schools and county government is an annual tax bill well over $1 million. The 2006 tax bill remains unpaid while the matter is being litigated and now the 2007 bill could go the same route. Local school officials say the dispute has caused hardships because of shortfalls in revenues and could result in teachers having to be laid off to compensate for the shortage. Board of Equalization Chairman Eddie Slayton was not happy. He and board member Joe Merida heard arguments on the matter in March and gave state appraisers and Boise time to try and work out a settlement. "The two sides have not gotten together and we will have to go with what we have," Slayton said. Board member Bill Hill echoed the sentiment, "Please get together for the benefit of the county, the benefit of the people and the benefit of Boise." Merida, concurred with their assessments. The difference in the state's appraisal of the mill and Boise's is more than $200 million. While both sides agree on some items, the entire tax bill remains unpaid until a full resolution of the differences is reached. Tuesday Boise attorneys wanted to present an appraisal with redacted, or deleted, data in support of their 2007 case. State appraisers said they had not seen the appraisal previously although it was referenced at a recent court-ordered mediation on the 2006 tax bill. The board would not act on the offered appraisal without time for state appraisers to review it and Boise reps did not leave it with the board or with state appraisers. Gaines McCorquodale, local attorney representing the board in the 2006 tax case, was prompted to comment to the equalization board, "They [Boise] refused to let us see that tax appraisal" in mediation. "You talk about mediating in good faith. That's not good faith." Hill wanted to allow the two sides more time to try and negotiate but Revenue Commissioner Chris Beverly reminded the board that he is under a deadline to complete the 2007 tax year by June and said the board really needed to make a decision so that he can close out his books. He did say that the two sides could continue to negotiate to seek a compromise on their differences. The board made its ruling adjourned but the two sides split into separate rooms at the county courthouse in Grove Hill, apparently working on the problem.
In the mediation a few weeks ago on the 2006 tax bill, the two sides reportedly came to within a few million dollars difference in assessed values and to within a far lesser amount in real tax dollars but still could not reach an agreement.
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