Virginia Beach’s Commissioner of the Revenue wants to make it easier for taxpayers to get a discount on their personal property taxes.
More than 14,000 Beach taxpayers who went through the city’s appeals process last year should receive a letter from Commissioner Phil Kellam that can be signed and returned with updated mileage information. Based on the reported mileage, the city could change the tax bill.
Virginia Beach operates a drive-up personal property tax appeals process in May, the month before personal property tax bills are due.
There, city staff evaluate cars, boats and other vehicles for mileage (if that applies) and damage to change the value of the item and total tax bill. Taxpayers don’t have to get out of their car for the process and drive away with an amended tax bill.
Virginia Beach offers a drive-up personal property tax appeals process in May, the month before personal property tax bills are due.
It’s hard work, Kellam said, and city staff spend entire work days in the summer heat evaluating more than a thousand cars on busy days.There are tents set up for shade, but it's not the same as an air-conditioned office at the Municipal Center.
Kellam has run a version of this appeals process since he was elected in 1998. Other major cities in Hampton Roads allow for appeals, but require the taxpayer to initiate the process. Personal property taxes are $77 million of Virginia Beach’s $2.8 billion budget.
“It’s my job to find the car and find the fair market value of the car,” Kellam said. “I’m allowed to mass assess, so I might not know if the car has high mileage. I want fair market value and I want your help to get there … but at the same time I want an efficient process to do this.”
The “attestation for personal property adjustment” letter requires recipients to sign that they “swear (or affirm) that these statements are true, full and correct.”
He acknowledged people could lie. His office plans to audit the changed bills and a computer system will highlight any suspiciously significant changes in mileage.
“I really think this is about dealing with people in an honest, civil way,” Kellam said. “I trust the taxpayer will use common sense and play fair.”
