Locals Say Tax Estimates Miscalculated

Atlanta residents received their annual tax assessments over the weekend, and many were shocked to see their tax estimate had risen significantly over last year.

Ansley Park resident Michael Moses said his 2011 tax estimate was nearly $4,000 over 2010, even though the assessed value of his home remained the same from last year. 

It appears the Fulton County Assessors Office has made calculation errors on the estimates, according to a report from 11Alive News on Sunday. 

"It's nice to know it was a mistake," Moses said. 

Brookwood Hills resident Knox Massey also said his tax estimate was miscalculated. 

"They double counted county taxes," Massey said in a Twitter message Sunday. "Looks like my taxes went up 30+ percent. Geez, why can't they get it right?"

Midtown resident Sara Van Beck wrote in an email Saturday that her estimate was almost $3,200, or about 60 percent, over in error. 

"My math savvy husband is thinking it's just a random number error at this point," Van Beck wrote in the email. "There's no way to add up all the numbers given to come up with our tax amount."

Van Beck reported that about eight of her neighbors also experienced errors on their tax estimate. 

"There's trouble in River City," she said.

Burt Manning, Fulton County tax assessor, told 11Alive that a computer program failed to add the numbers correctly. Residents, he told the news station, would receive a corrected statement by the end of next week. 

"Tax bills won’t go out until later this year and WILL BE ACCURATE," Manning said in an email Monday morning. He said that this is the first year assessment notices include an estimate of taxes.

The Fulton County Board of Assessors will hold a series of public meetings about the assessments beginning May 13. Find the complete schedule of meetings here.

Check back with Midtown Patch as more information becomes available.