Caldwell and Branning talk taxes and more at GPICA meeting
Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell and Lee County Tax Collector Noelle Branning gave a presentation regarding the role of their offices at the June general meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association meeting.
Caldwell and Branning opened by explaining Florida’s property tax system as it pertains to real estate and home owners.
“My job — our job — as the property appraiser office, is to develop an opinion of value every single year for that property…when we complete our task, in concert with the taxing authorities (local governments, such as, county, school board, fire district). So, we determine the value, taxing authorities sets the tax rates, and then–” Caldwell said.
“And then we, issue the tax bills,” Branning said.
Caldwell then went on to explain the method for calculating a tax bill. The most critical date to remember, he said, is Jan 1. Each year’s valuation is concluded as of this date. That becomes important, in the case of hurricanes.
“That becomes important, for example, for those of us that have dealt with hurricane effects — you have to unfortunately grapple with the 50/50 rule — keeping in mind that the tax rule may not be your best tool because that value was Jan. 1, not developed the day before the storm and usually our storms are 6, 9, 10 months after that value date, but beyond that value date — in terms of setting what the property is worth — that’s also the date that determines all of the exemptions,” Caldwell said.
If, for example, you’d like to qualify for a Homestead Exemption, you’d have to own the property on Jan. 1, and also you’d have to be using it as your primary residence by that date, he said. If you didn’t move in until February, technically, you would not qualify for the exemption. This boils down to having all the indicators of claiming this property as your home.
“You have your primary residence at the place that you claim is your home, but you have to own it and that be your primary residence and then — all the other exemptions, agricultural classification, non-profit exemption — this building is gonna have a religious charitable exemption on it — it has to be used for that purpose on Jan. 1,” Caldwell said.
All this information ends up in a taxable value, which gets multiplied by the millage rates that the taxing authorities adopt, which results in ad valorem taxes and then you add non-ad valorem taxes, he said. Just about everyone in Lee County pays at least one non-ad valorem tax – a garbage bill, billed to customers as a flat fee. Depending on where you live in Lee County, you may have more non-ad valorem assessments, Caldwell said. Currently, we are in the throes of the process, between Jan. 1 and Aug. 25, he explained.
“Our office has to deliver to taxing authorities on June 1 the early estimate of what the value conclusions are for this year,” Caldwell said.
They also have to deliver an official, certified number by July 1, which will be used to develop the roll back rate, he said. By Aug. 25, property owners will get their individual conclusions (TRIM Notice)
“Truth in Millage” (TRIM) is a notice of proposed property taxes that property owners receive annually, usually in August. This notice is not a tax bill but rather an estimate of a resident’s property taxes for the upcoming year.
The TRIM notice, Caldwell explained, will outline several things. The first is the projected number the property appraiser’s office has already come up with (on Jan. 1). It will review all exemptions.
Both Caldwell and Branning are elected, and do not work for the county, or any taxing authority, he said.
“My job is to work for you, so if you have concerns, 365 days a year, come in, give us a call, use the chat feature on the website and we will try to resolve it. We do, ultimately, resolve most concerns,” Caldwell said.
Branning talked about the finalization of the tax roll, which happens, she said, by mid-October.
“The tax roll has been certified by his (Caldwell’s) office and then passed on to the Tax Collector’s office because, by statute, we are required to mail tax notices on or before Nov. 1, every single year,” Branning said.
She explained the year-round process of their offices as the property appraiser setting values, the taxing authorities setting rates, and from a checks and balances perspective, she said, they are then authorized to collect all taxes that are owed, and distribute the money back to the taxing authorities.
To watch this meeting in its entirety, visit the Greater Pine Island Civic Association Facebook page. For more information on the GPICA, visit GPICA.org.
There will be no meeting in July
The next GPICA meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 5, at the First Baptist Church of Pine Island at 5363 Avenue D, Bokeelia, next to Pine Island Elementary School.