Government

Tax Assessors

O.C.G.A. 48-5-299. Ascertainment of taxable property; assessments against unreturned property; penalty for unreturned property; changing real property values established by appeal in prior year. (a) It shall be the duty of the county board of tax assessors to investigate diligently and to inquire into the property owned in the county for the purpose of ascertaining what real and personal property is subject to taxation in the county and to require the proper return of the property for taxation. The board shall make such investigation as may be necessary to determine the value of any property upon which for any reason all taxes due the state or the county have not been paid in full as required by law. In all cases where the full amount of taxes due the state or county has not been paid, the board shall assess against the owner, if known, and against the property, if the owner is not known, the full amount of taxes which has accrued and which may not have been paid at any time within the statute of limitations. In all cases where taxes are assessed against the owner of the property, the board may proceed to assess the taxes against the owner of the property according to the best information obtainable; and such assessment, if otherwise lawful, shall constitute a valid lien against the property assessed.
The office of the Board of Tax Assessors maintains records of all properties within the county, the property owners and the fair market value of the property.

Current members of the board are Gordon Adams, Jesse H. Tow Jr., Joan Church, Ronald Colvin and Jimmy Tench (newly-appointed).

This Board directs a staff of appraisers and appraisal clerks to obtain and manage these records. The appraisal staff obtains information from building permits and other sources, then visits the properties where improvements have been made or for verification of incorrect information. The appraisal staff is also instructed to review all characteristics of each property within the county to insure the accuracy of the property record.

In addition to establishing values for real and personal property, the Board is ordered by the Georgia state law to submit a tax digest (a compilation of all property values, motor vehicle values, timber values, and exemption amounts) to the State Revenue Commissioner at the Department of Revenue.

The Habersham County Board of Tax Assessors is also designated to receive property tax returns for real and personal property and applications for various homestead exemptions, conservation use valuation, preferential agricultural assessment, conservation use assessment of residential transitional property, freeport exemption, and applications for exempt property. It is the duty of the Board to determine the eligibility of these applications.

It is required, by law, that each assessor and appraiser have certain training and appraiser designation as offered by the Department of Revenue. The assessors and appraisers must continue their education with the Department of Revenue throughout their career with the Board of Tax Assessors office.

For more information concerning the Department of Revenue CLICK HERE.

Contact Information

Mailing Address: 555 Monroe Street, Unit 26 Box 5, Clarkesville, GA 30523
Location: 115 Beaver Dam Rd, Clarkesville, GA 30523
Handicapped Parking/Deliveries: 6257 State Hwy. 115, Clarkesville, GA 30523

Phone: 706-754-2557 Fax: 706-754-8079
Email: taxassessors@habershamga.com

Joan Church, E-mail: jchurch@habershamga.com
CLICK HERE
For Contact Information