Johnson County taking another look at request for tax refund

IOWA CITY - The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will take a second look at a resident's request for a refund on taxes she paid after an erroneous assessment on her property.

Supervisor Mike Carberry said he has asked for a vote of reconsideration on Jean Fisher's request for a roughly $5,000 refund in taxes she paid after a county employee inaccurately assessed a nonexistent cellular tower on her Morse Road property.

Carberry said a lack of much public input on the matter before last week's vote on the refund had him relying heavily on staff to gather information leading up to his vote against refunding Fisher's taxes.

However, in the days following that vote - the refund was denied with only Supervisors Janelle Rettig and Pat Harney in support - public discussion, bordering on outrage by some residents, reached a flashpoint on social media.

'I'm willing to change my mind when new facts and new information is brought forward,” Carberry said.

Carberry said he couldn't share how he will vote on the refund during the board's second round of debate, but said he is reconsidering his vote.

'You can assume I've had a change of heart,” he said.

The requested tax refund will be discussed at Thursday's informal meeting and, if at least three supervisors are in favor, the item will reach an official vote on next week's formal meeting.

The ongoing saga of Fisher's requested refund began in 2010, when an inaccurate assessment on her land by the Johnson County Assessor's Office noted a cellular tower on her property. The erroneous assessment - the tower does not exist - increased Fisher's tax bill by roughly $1,600 a year. All told, the assessment cost Fisher about $5,000 in total.

Verizon Wireless, which paid roughly $25,000 due to the assessment, has not contacted the county about the increased taxes.

Officials with the Johnson County Assessor's Office have admitted the mistake but said there is a procedure - including taking the matter to the Board of Review - for taxpayers to address assessment discrepancies within a set time frame. Fisher failed to do so in the timely manner required.

County officials have said all Board of Review could do was change the value retroactively for the 2013 assessment, which since has taken place. Fisher wants a refund of all the extra taxes she paid, back to 2011.