Guilford leaders warn tax reappraisal freeze could cut services, budgets

Guilford County’s new property values are already hitting household budgets, and a state plan to pause reappraisals could shift that pain from homeowners to county and school funding. More than 6,000 appeals have been filed over the latest assessments, and officials say average values are up about 40% to 45% countywide.

The proposal at the center of the debate is Senate Bill 889, the Property Tax Reappraisal Moratorium. The North Carolina Senate engrossed the measure on May 6 by a 35-8 vote, and the bill would delay use of 2026 reappraisal values until the taxable year beginning July 1, 2027. In practice, that would keep prior values in place for one more year even after counties completed a new reappraisal.

That matters in Guilford because the county says its 2026 reappraisal became effective January 1 and will show up on tax bills mailed in July. The Guilford County Tax Department says the process uses sales analysis, field visits, county maps, aerial photography and street-level images to determine market value, with certified or licensed appraisers helping carry out the work. County leaders say the point is to keep values equitable and uniform, so taxpayers pay their proportionate share based on what property would likely sell for in an open market.

A freeze would change that equation. Guilford leaders warn that holding down values artificially could leave local governments with an outdated tax base while schools, public safety, roads and other county responsibilities keep costing more. That is why the issue is being framed in Guilford as a pocketbook question and a government stability question at the same time: homeowners want relief from sharp jumps, but county and city officials still have to build balanced budgets and decide how to pay for services.

The pressure is already visible in the appeal process. WFMY reported that the county’s reassessment has pushed residents into the appeals system in large numbers, and officials said the total is expected to grow as deadlines approach. WFDD reported Guilford is reappraising more than 200,000 properties, after a state review found 10,580 parcels were assessed at 80.14% of their 2022 sale prices, below the 85% threshold that can force an earlier reappraisal for larger counties.

The bill has drawn attention from both parties, including Guilford County Democrat Michael Garrett, who backed the measure as families and seniors absorb higher valuations. But local officials say the deeper issue is what happens if Raleigh freezes values while counties still have to fund classrooms, sheriff’s deputies and day-to-day services. In Guilford County, that answer may determine whether the tax burden is postponed, or simply shifted to later budget cycles.