'91 MAINTENANCE YEAR FOR COUNTY ASSESSORS

JACKSON - For county assessors across Missouri, 1991 is an update year that state law requires them to physically recheck all real-estate parcels and make changes in value to keep the state's assessment program current.

In Cape County, Roger Arnzen, director of the mapping and appraisal division of the assessor's office who is coordinating the update, said he does not anticipate a lot of changes in assessed valuations this year.

Arnzen said that the review process is almost complete, but unlike 1989, there probably won't be many changes.

"We did review everything but we are not making many changes from two years ago," said Arnzen. "With the economy as it was we did not think there were enough changes to warrant any major increases or decreases."

One change in state law being implemented this year creates a new land classification value for land changing in usage. This primarily pertains to land that is classified as agricultural but is in the process of being subdivided for residential or commercial development.

Most counties were calling the land agricultural, meaning that it was assessed at 12 percent of its value. But Arnzen said the land was usually worth a lot more than that.

Under the new law, such land is valued at what it is worth as commercial property. But, instead of assessing it at 32 percent of that value as is commercial property, it is assessed at the 12 percent agricultural rate.

Changes caused by the law change will be put on the tax books this year.

Arnzen said, from the quick review completed by his office, there is a clear indication that the real-estate market is stable.

"In 1989 we had a lot of changes, but that pretty well brought us up to date. The studies we have done show that we're still pretty close to what property is selling for."

Statewide reassessment went on the books in 1985, and 1989 was the first update mandated by state law. Arnzen said there were a lot of changes at that time because some of the data was as much as five or six years old.

"These things run in cycles and it didn't really surprise me about having so few changes," said Arnzen. "In this market things tend to run more in a four-year cycle than in a two-year cycle."

Increases caused by new construction or major remodeling is added to the assessed valuation of property every year, he explained.

When property values are raised, the assessor's office is required to send change notices to property owners. Those will be going out later this month.

Arnzen said between 3,000 and 4,000 will be mailed in Cape County, but many of those are because of the purchase of new land or improvements made on their property.

Anyone who is not satisfied with the assessed valuation put on their property may appeal to the county's board of equalization this summer.

In September, tax rates are applied to the assessed valuations and bills, due at the end of year, are prepared.