By By Kerry Whipple Bean – publisher
Escambia County won't switch to annual tax appraisals until next year, but the issue has been much talked about in local as well as statewide races.
The Alabama Department of Revenue began phasing in annual tax appraisals - starting with the most populous counties - shortly after Riley's term began.
Whether they are constitutionally mandated or not is subject to debate in the election. The Riley administration has interpreted the result of a federal lawsuit to say that annual appraisals are a matter of state law.
Riley, who was in Brewton last week on a campaign trip, said the annual appraisals are the law - even if he doesn't agree with them.
Riley said reappraisals used to happen every five years, but Gov. Fob James moved them to every four years.
Opposition
Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, Riley's Democratic opponent, has accused Riley in campaign ads of instituting a &#8220back-door tax” through the annual appraisals.
Other Democrats have said they oppose the new appraisal method as well.
Democratic state Rep. F.P. &#8220Skippy” White proposed a bill earlier this year to make the tax appraisals every four years in Escambia County, but the bill did not pass.
White's legislation was one of several unsuccessful bills aimed at returning the tax appraisals to four years for individual counties.
White's opponent, Republican Alan Baker, said most of the people he has talked to favor the every-four-years route, although he noted that annual tax appraisals show smaller increases rather than the sticker shock of appraisals spaced further apart.
Compromise?
State Senate candidate John McMillan, a Republican, said he would favor a compromise - tax appraisals every two years.
And depending on interpretation, the Alabama Code could support that compromise. It reads: &#8220The appraisal of property shall be commenced and completed for each county at the earliest dates consistent with good business and sound appraisal practices, but in any event completed not later than two years from Jan. 19, 1972.”
Before the state change, Montgomery County had switched to annual appraisals voluntarily, and Baldwin County had switched to tax appraisals every two years.
Where the money goes
Riley said annual appraisals do not benefit the state.
But the state - and the state education department - do receive some money from each county's tax assessment.
In the most recent assessment for Escambia County - the last that would be every four years unless legislation is passed to change it - $663,745 is designated for the state general fund, $861,595 for the state school fund and $265,498 for the state soldier fund. Meanwhile, $1.14 million is designated for the county general fund and $6.5 million for schools in Escambia County and Brewton.