Despite property reassessments in some areas of Grand County that resulted in significant tax increases, and a proposed 1.5 percent hike in the general fund portion of county property taxes, tax notices mailed out by the Grand County Clerk’s office last week have so far drawn little public response, county officials say.

Grand County Council chairwoman Audrey Graham said Tuesday she had received no calls or comments from residents regarding their tax notices.

Grand County Clerk/Auditor Diana Carroll said her office has received “very little, if any” response to the notices, even though the Mosquito Abatement District is also raising its small portion of the property taxes collected by the county.

“We haven’t had a lot of calls so far, fewer than in the past,” said Grand County Chief Deputy Assessor/Appraiser Debbie Swasey. By early this week, the assessor’s office had received no requests for an appointment with the Grand County Board of Equalization, the entity that hears complaints about assessed values and requests for reductions in property taxes, Swasey said.

Swasey said the assessor’s office realizes that values are not going up all over the county in general. She noted that some inquiries about increases have come from Spanish Valley residents, where all properties were reassessed last year for the first time in more than five years.

In nearly all the Spanish Valley cases where the assessors raised the county’s assessment of “market value” it was because of additions or significant changes to the properties that occurred after the previous assessment, Swasey said.

As an example, Swasey cited a sample property that contained a photograph of a new carport as evidence that changes to the property had taken place since the previous assessment was conducted.

“Our appraisal values are still under the selling prices, for the most part,” Swasey said, noting that homes sales are still occurring, even in the current economic downturn.

Property owners who believe the county’s assessed values exceed the amount for which they could sell their properties should contact the assessor’s office for an appointment before the Board of Equalization, Swazey said.

The amounts to be collected for county government expenses (not including schools and special service districts) are based on a new, 1.5 percent higher certified tax rate approved by the Grand County Council two weeks ago.

That rate was increased to 0.002905 from 0.002862, as dictated by the State Tax Commission, in order for the county to be able to collect the same amount in tax revenues – $3.1 million – as were collected in 2009, Carroll said.

One place in the tax notice where a tax rate is being raised is the Grand County Mosquito Abatement Special Service District. That district’s tax collections are being raised 41 percent from a very low base, but the result is only a very slight increase in the total tax collection, county officials said.

For example, the sample property cited by Swasey will pay an additional $9.19 for mosquito abatement this year over last year, she said.

The increase is needed to replenish the mosquito district’s general fund, which has been drawn down during past years, said the district’s director, Bob Phillips. The district must also replace a 17-year old compact pickup truck that is now worn out from constant use, he said.

Phillips said he hopes this year’s rate increase will pay for the truck and bring the district’s general fund balance up to a point where sufficient funds are available in case of emergencies. When the fund reaches that point, it may be possible to either lower the rate, or at least not increase it again anytime soon, he said.

A “truth in taxation” hearing for the proposed mosquito abatement tax rate increase will be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 5 at the district’s office on Sand Flats Road.