LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some homeowners in Jefferson County have sticker shock after opening their latest property tax bills.
About 120,000 properties in Jefferson County have been given new values for tax purposes.
"My husband is the one that opened it up; I thought he was going to have a coronary," said Marilyn Helvey, who lives in the Highlands.
Helvey said she and her husband were not expecting the tax bill they received on Thursday.
"I thought he was going to pass out, you know. He said, 'what!' And I said, 'what's the matter' and he told me and I said, 'well, that's not right.'"
The Helveys are among the thousands of property owners whose land was recently reassessed. The reassessments mostly led to higher taxes.
"It was like doubled," said Helvey. "And we don't understand."
The increases reflect the strong residential real estate market in Louisville, according to Jefferson County Property Valuation Administrator Colleen Younger.
She also said, there should not be a lot of surprises.
"We rolled out a very comprehensive, integrated media plan this year," Younger said. "We included social media, Facebook ads, radio and press media. We went on the tour of radio and TV shows so that people would know. We laid out a well-organized plan to prepare the community that was under reassessment."
Some of the neighborhoods included in the reassessments are the Highlands, Clifton, Iroquois Park, Jeffersontown and St. Matthews.
The increased values, ranging from 10% to 14% on average. It means higher annual property taxes when the bills are due at the end of 2021. The situation is compounded by the Jefferson County Board of Education’s decision to raise the district’s property tax rate by 9.5%, last year.
An additional line has been added on bills, "School ADD."
Younger said it's part of tax money the sheriff was unable to collect last year when the issue was tied up in court and the rate was lower.
"And this year, he made up for the difference on the bill," Younger said.
"For people in their 70s, it's kind of a hit," said Helvey. "My husband said he's going to look into it, and I am sure he will, but I don't know if it will do any good."
It is too late to appeal, but disabled veterans and people 65 and older can apply for exemptions. To contact the PVA's office, click here.
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