Council to discuss assessments

Published 10:16 pm Monday, March 14, 2011

The Suffolk City Council will discuss a number of real estate assessment issues and other topics during its Wednesday meeting.

The meeting will be held in City Council chambers, 441 Market St., at 7 p.m. A work session will precede the regular meeting at 4 p.m.

Three ordinances on the agenda deal with real estate assessments. The first will amend city code to reflect a new state law, passed by voter referendum in November, that exempts veterans with a 100-percent service-connected, total and permanent disability from paying real estate taxes on their primary residence.

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In addition, tweaks to other tax abatement programs are under consideration.

One ordinance would remove open spaces, like golf courses, from special consideration in assessments. The other ordinance would require religious and charitable organizations to recertify the status of their properties every three years.

Residential real estate assessments dropped an average of 3 percent this year.

City Council also will consider a resolution directing city staff to prepare a recommended redistricting plan for the city. The city must redraw the borough lines after the 2010 census showed a vast increase in the number of people living in the city’s three North Suffolk boroughs — Sleepy Hole, Chuckatuck and Nansemond.

At the earlier work session, the City Council will hear a number of staff reports on budget-related topics, including public utilities finances, a personnel compensation study and revenue projections.