September 30, 2024 • 30 mins
Shelby County Assessor Melvin Burgess talks about assessing houses in Shelby County...
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're back at it you guys, thanks for joining us
for another edition of the Pulse. We keep our fingertips
on the pulse of our community. I am Stormy with you,
and uh, our special guest this weekend is a man
that you probably all know. You've probably got a letter
or two from him, maybe never met him, but you
(00:21):
probably know his name.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Let me let you introduce yourself to our audience today, Stormy, thanks.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
For having me. Melvin Burgess, Shelby County properly.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Assessor, Melvin Burgess. Y'all saw his name when you went
to go vote.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Thank you, Storm.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Well, he is here and for good reason because uh
and thank you, thank you and your office for reaching
out to me. And uh because our a you know,
our listeners need this information that you're about to share
with us today.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So we've heard about tax increases in Memphis, and I
don't know if Shelby County is getting a tax increase
or what that is or was going on that may
be staying the same, but for Memphians there's going to
be a tax increase and can you explain to us
how that's going to affect us in our community?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Okay, again, thanks for having me stormy. So just kind
of take some steps backwards on the tax increase, you know,
I just jump. But it's the assessor, you know, it's
my job, by statue of state law to determine every
person's or every residential commercial, any place where you see
there's property. Our job is to make sure we do
(01:35):
a adequate assessment and equitable. That's my job. If anything that's
on property, even this building, have to answer or have
to get have to get a review or get an
assessment done.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Basically, everybody's paid.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Everybody. Everybody, Well let's keep the taxes out of right now.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Okay, let's keep that out. But everybody gets assessed.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Everybody has to get assessed. And however, the statue says, unfortunately,
the state of Tennessee, the only way it generates its
revenue is a by property taxes. So that's the money
that we get for the municipalities to run police, fire education.
Those are those funds that the county realized to pay
pretty much to pay his bills. So the market is
(02:17):
still high. So when my job is to go out
do an assessment on your property, we have over three
hundred and fifty one thousand parcels that we look at,
not all on we do physically thousand right, you know,
we have drones and we have other ways of how we.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
In my backyard.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
We can see we're sending your backyard gis and you know,
and we have an appraisal team that you know they
have in a relationship with mar and Alter realtor groups
to look at market values to make sure that we're
on top of we send that assessment out. But the
good thing of it is is that when we send
that assessment out, you have a chance to come to
our office in a pullet. You know, you don't have
(02:58):
to take what I give you or you have to
my office gives you when it comes to the assessment amount.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
So you're saying, if I get a bill, excuse me,
an assessment. Okay, get an assessment and it says my
house is valued at this price, and I can say,
whoa wait a minute, that's right, and then come see
you you can.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
We're gonna send something out stormy about the first of
the year. We're gonna start sending the the information out
on your assessment around March or April. But you received
something in the mirror price. You're getting their notifications saying
let's talk real appraisal. It's gonna give you step by
step if you are not satisfied, you know, with your
appraisal or your assessment amount. So what happens is is
(03:40):
we when we do the assessment, uh and if you
if you feel it's okay, we go with that. Then
it goes to the trustees office. Then what the trustee
does is she waits for the county commission, who says
the tax rate. That's that's where how much you pay
comes in. Right, So that's not you, it's not me.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
So so you're not You're kind of the money guy,
but not the money money.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
All I do is identify the property, okay, and they
determine how much you pay through by way of the
county commission. And I'm a former county commissioner. So the
tax rate now in the county is three thirty nine. Right.
So remember because listeners, the county does not make money
off of re appraisal. There's no windfall because when the
(04:24):
state comes in and lower the rate, they are probably
lord hypothetically maybe the three or nine, except to the
county commission to bring the rate up. That determines how
much you pay based upon your assessment amount. That's what
determines how much your house now will probably be. Not
the assessor. It comes to by way of the county commission.
So I got you all wrong. Okay, oh man, that's
(04:46):
what we got to you know. But the main thing
is for me is that you can appeal it. You
can come in, but you have to come to my office.
Don't go to the border of equalization. Those are the
ones that you go to to appeal it. And of
course there are someone who can afford and peel attorney
who can afford you know, that extra help to get
theirs overturned. But you know in our neighborhood some people
(05:08):
don't have those resources to do that. So that's why
I say, come to me. You know, we can't get
it all right. And that's where I was pushing for,
you know, two year real appraisals so we can get
it right. Yeah, because we really want to grab But
I tell people now when we come out there to
reassess it, to look at it again. Now, if you
mess around and you can build a swimming pool and
got a garage and it's not on their road, we
(05:29):
don't have a problem.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Wow. So make sure it might go up if that
is the case.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
So just make sure that when you go on our
website that the information is correct. But if it's not
correct and we got more than what is actually there,
please give us a call and we can come out
and we can fix that.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Okay, Okay, I don't know if I like the idea
y'all having them drones.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Geis so much technology out there now, it's unbelievable, But
that's that's what we have out there. We have a
lot about three hundred and fifty one thousand parcels that
we do here in Shelby.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
County now, or do you guys work with the people
that do like the the maps and are y'all using
the same drones or the same stuff, because.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
So gs we have like we also have like a
mapping department, so we do do the mapping also, okay
in our office.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Okay, because okay, so this happened to my son once
he was he googled his his house and then he
saw himself in the backyard trying to put out a fire.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Right, those are some of the capabilities even that we
have in our department to try to identify look in
your backyard and I don't think we can't do is
coming the inside okay and outside.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I know that has nothing to do with nothing, but
I know you guys, it's you have to do it.
You have to assess what's there and see.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, and but the main thing storm is we want
to make sure that it's adequate and it's correct. That's
how our major goal, and that's why I was trying
to push for the two year real appraisal because we feel,
you know, we do reviews every two years and we
can get it right in case people's information is not right.
That's a lot of parcels. Yeah, I have to do.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah, that's three hundred and so how many of those
do you have to fix every now and then?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I think the last time we did a real appraisal
was in twenty twenty one, and my team really did
a good job in communications case. What we did was
we wanted to make sure, you know, when people called
about their properties, that we had people who are astute
at appraisal work and not lay people. So we got
like less calls and less appeals. I can't really give
(07:29):
you the number, but it wasn't really high. It wasn't
igh as what we expected it to be. Let me
know that we did a pretty good job explaining it
and people were satisfied and the people when they did call,
we kind of took care of it. But we are
there to help you and my communications team I'm going
to thank the job that they do. We're going to
have something. I don't know the dates yet, but it's
gonna be for the years out. We're going to have
(07:49):
something at our office. Maybe on a Saturday, let's say,
let's talk real praise to wh the public can come
out and talk to our staff, you know, to you know,
get the heads up of you know, what it could
be or what it was last year, and just ask
questions to us. What can we do to help? That's
what I'm here for to help you.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Okay, is your office the same office that handles like
is there tax breaks for elderly and people?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
It is but a stormy that comes out of the
trustees office, Regina Newman, it comes out of her office.
Trustee explain that whole.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I guess the I guess those governmental functions. I guess
because you, being the assessor, I would think that. Okay,
you not only do you assess, but you also are
the person that's responsible, and maybe that's why people go
to the wrong place instead of coming to you in
your office. First.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I think what happens st me is when I first
took the position, people would always refer to me as
the tax assessor. Yeah, And I think they say that
is because you know, we have over like ninety six
assessors in the county. And you know, when I go
to some of the conferences or some of the retreats
that we have. You know, some of the counties are small.
(09:03):
So the tax assessor or the assessor and the trustee
of the same safe that's what they call them. The
tax assessor both functions. But here in our county, you know,
we are the bigger county in the state Tennessee. So
we have which we have a trustee. The trustee for
the most part, just to cut it short, she's the banker,
the you know, is the banker for the county. She
(09:24):
handles all the money, all the money for car tags,
all the money that comes to the county goes straight
to her. So she's the banker. She is the banker
for the county. So when my role is completed and
we're satisfied with the role on the assessment. Then it
goes to her. She gets the role, and she has
the formula that comes from the state. You know, we
don't make we don't make the formula up. It comes
(09:45):
from the state. And then what happens is she waits
to see what the tax rate's going to be or
what the tax rate is going to be approved by
the county Commission right now. Like I said earlier, the
taxwate is three thirty nine. When a real appraise will
come the tax rate would be lowered by the state
three or nine. Then that's when your elected officials, the
county Commission will go in and reset it. That determines
(10:06):
how much you pay when it comes to your property taxes.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Okay, okay, so that's not you.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I just identify the property.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Uh huh, you identify I just identified Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
So anything from Walgreens, Lows, Wolf Chase, Ball home depot,
anything that's property involved has come through off.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Okay. So when we see a bill, though, I guess
it is normal for us to think that it's got
to do with you, since you send the information somewhere else,
and a lot of times people don't know that's right,
so they think, you know what I'm.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Saying yeah, and you know, we get a lot of also,
you know people, I'm sure everyone is listening to this call.
I bet you get a call at least once twice
a week on do you want to sell your home?
And that's because and it's like that, because investors are
looking for homes because they know the values and the
market is still pretty good. So I always encourage, you know,
when I'm on the radio, tell you know, homeowners, don't
(11:01):
sell your home because when you sell it and it's
probably think it's a good price and you can try
to figure out then where you're going to go, right,
does it's still high out here? Yeah, So I encourage
you know, if you can stay in your home, it's
a great investment and just you know, see what you
can do to you know, to maintain your maintain your home.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah. Yeah, And I think some people do look at
that quick payday as a pay day maybe because they
need if they don't realize the house is the payday.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
That's the biggest that set that we could all of us,
I know, especially when we get a lot of people
coming in our office to where you know, they didn't
leave a I'm kind of going sideways, you know, whether
the parents didn't didn't leave like a wheel and you
got four or five kids, and you know they'd be
fighting over who owns the home and junior being the
home all this time keeping it fixed up. And then
(11:45):
when it's time to sell or when they're trying to
get money off of that's when everybody come to life,
right and I realize that it's split up the house,
you know, it is split up, you know, when there's
no wheel, and then and when it's split up, and
then if that if that sister dies, who you know,
who's mother owned the home? I mean the daughter dies,
then guess what it goes to the kids. So it's
down the line. So that's a part that we also
(12:07):
try to, you know, help our constituents understand when it
comes to home ownership that please, you know, get a wheel,
you know, because we see a lot of you know,
these homes where now they're coming to our neighborhoods, you know,
because our neighborhoods are very vulnerable, you know, because of
the blight, and they're not claiming their homes where they're
coming in now stealing the deeds. Had a friend of mine,
(12:29):
how do they do that? Well, they go out there
and look and see there's no movement. And what they
would do is they'll try to, you know, go in
and try to force the names and of who owns it,
and you know, and sometimes it's happening out here. And
Solandra Ford really put a good program in when she
was the rest of Deeds to where if you start,
(12:50):
you know, going on your phone just even looking at
the address, you know, notified the owner that somebody's are
crying about their properties.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Oh okay, that's good, that's really good.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That's that's one of the issues we have to.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Okay, so what about it, you said, will trust is
one of those things. That's one of the safeguard as well.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Exactly anything that you have documented that will that's you know,
that's you know, that's signed off by the courts, you know,
the probate court. Where it's a you know, legitimate document
that will say who owns what, and who owns what,
or who owns or whoever the case might be. That's
a good document to have because a lot of our homes,
our parents, our grandparents really worked hard, you know to
(13:31):
get those homes and all of a sudden, you know,
either the kids are out of town or the kids
or you know who they left the homes two are
no longer around, and that's why you see a lot
of blight in our neighborhoods because those homes are just
left there and you know, they're not being claimed or
either in the tax seal because you know once, you know, once,
if you don't pay your property taxes after a period
of time, yeah, it goes into the land bank and
(13:52):
it's doing a tax seal.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah, that's unfortunate. I'm sure a lot of people have
lost land because of that. It is, and a lot
of families probably there is and black families don't even
know that they got and they lose it that way.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
It is, and that's why I you know, try to
encourage you know, some of these areas with CDCs to
where they can give some of these properties back to
these CDC's because at the end of the day, Stormy
and a homeowner or a person that's part of their
neighborhood have more in state than you know, investors coming in,
you know, so why lose back to the you know,
the people in the Klondike or the Smoker City, Orange
(14:25):
Bound or New Chicago people, somebody in.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
The community yeah, yeah, so taxes probably will go up
next year.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I can't I don't can't. I can't say, because you know,
all I do is just the assessment, So I don't
know what the you know, what would be the actual
rate that these that the county Commission was set. It's
three thirty nine now, so I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
So even with the assessment though, huh. I mean if
my house is valued or was two hundred thousand this year, okay,
and you know, something's happened in the neighborhoods some mine's
Boston made it maybe does that all factor in with
what how the price is raised? You know, if save
(15:09):
for instance, Walmart moves down the street, or businesses start
to come in and their properties more, does that increase?
Is that a reason for a possibility of an increase
on my property?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
They could be a factor. And also what they do
what we do is we look at home sales or
comp sales around your area, like what a home what
did the house sell? It looks like yours maybe two
blocks over or a bout and a half away, you know,
and that's why you know, or they look at you know,
just like you just said, like malls and amenities and
(15:39):
you know, things like that, and that's why our neighborhoods
have a hard time with values because you know, we
don't have those kind of ye mean, it's our neighborod
like you Sam's Club where people can shop. And that's
why our homes and our neighborhoods that are vulnerable just
don't get good assessments. It goes up a little, but
not enough. The way you go to the bank can
(16:00):
get you a second mortgage and you know, do some
of the things you want to do through your home.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Okay, So when you get ready to get started on
getting out there and a praise in these houses, what
time of the year do you start doing that.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Well, we're really doing it now.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
You're doing it now.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
We're doing it now because there's a period like now,
probably by the end of the year, because we've got
to have a period where we can go in and
make corrections. So we're doing it now as we speak.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
And generally people get the bill when.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
He's just gonna get the bill, probably around March, March
or April of next year, twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And that gives us time to come to you.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
That's right, and that's why I'm here to talk about
our team putting it together. We're doing different town halls
so we can say, let's talk real praise. So I
want to get ahead of it so people would know
when they get that document the mail, where to come
to and you know what what can we do to
help to make sure that your appraisal is correct.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Is this the first time you've done town halls?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Oh no, No, you've done it before. I did in
twenty twenty one. That was the first real praise I
went through in twenty twenty one.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
OK So I did it then, Okay, I think that's awesome.
I think it's awesome, and I know people have questions
as it relates to things like that.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Well we'll stormy. I think, you know, I think I
know you know. I'm speaking for myself. Is we got
to educate. We got to educate our people because for myself,
you know, I know who put me in this office. Yeah,
so I want them to understand, you know what this
office can offer you in the resources. Yeah, a lot
of people we don't have the resource to go have
appeal attorneys. But some of you know, but you got
(17:27):
some constituents or you got some Shelby countyons who own
three full five million dollar houses, they can go do that, yeah,
and get it overturned, you know, because they're paying to
do that right where we don't have that resource. However,
you come to me, you know, we'll make sure that
you know you're treated fairly and also will make sure
that you're that you're getting the best assessment you know,
(17:48):
as a pertaintional what we sent you in the mill.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
When do you let us know when these town halls are?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I think my team been putting it out there. I
think we sent out a press release. I think the
first one we did was at the library, the second
one we did was at McFarlane, and the third one
we got one coming up. I think it is the
next week. I think we haven't we have them like
once a week.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Is there somewhere you got it on your website or
someplace we can go to see when these are happening.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yeah, they're not being finalized. We got we've we've gotten
a lot out there, but they haven't finalized it. It's
kind of difficult because it's the holiday seasons from the
start coming up. Yeah, so we're trying to finalize some
of them as we speak, Like I know, I did
one over at the Advice Community Center. I did that
one and.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Did you have a good turnout?
Speaker 2 (18:36):
It was a good turnout, Shelley Rice does a good
job out there. Okay. I think at the library we
at least about thirty to forty people the library. Wow,
so we had a pretty good turnout.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Well, I mean, you know that's all right considering it's
three hundred and fifty one thousand, it's a lot.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
But the main things don't we just won't you know,
trying to get the information. They won't people know the
resources that we have that we can offer because you know,
it's tough. Fact here, it's tough.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
It really is. It really is, especially now, especially now
when everything is going up, tough when McDonald's Dolomna is gone,
and when is Dolominya is gone.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Look, look off, I can show her what you're saying
on this story.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
I mean, I don't freak with those places a lot,
but you know what I'm saying, I've seen the you
know the cost of that going up. And I know
people in communities that feel like you know, uh, they're
property taxes are you know, too high, the bill is
too high. That affects them and their day to day.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
You know what I'm saying, and you know what Stormy
and what really.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Really affects all of us, whether you're renting or whether
you're in a house, if everybody's being affected, it does.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
But what we have to do a better job of
in Shelby County is what Shelby County needs asap soon.
The lady is thirty thousand affordable homes right now. Because
I don't know your age, but when I was coming up,
it was a little difficult trying to get your first home,
but it wasn't that difficult like it is now. So
(20:00):
now you've got a lot of kids now who are
going straight to rental properties, and some of these apartments
they're putting up, they are expensive, very very expensive. So
it's basically blocking our young folks in trying to get
their first home, you know, trying to save a little
money to get that first home, and it's very hard.
So Memphis need to do Shelby County needs to do better,
(20:22):
especially in Memphis and putting affordable home We could use
a least about thirty thousand so I can put them
on the road and make this thing a lot better.
For these young kids who want to come back home
because we're losing our kids who go off to college.
You know. I got two girls went to Spelman and
one stayed in Atlanta, one lives in New York. So
we're losing talent, you know, and you know, we want
(20:45):
them to come back home, you know. So that's something
we got to work on when it comes to home ownership.
And at the end of the day, you know, when
I go to our retreats in different places in East Memphis,
I'm sorry East Tennessee. You know, owning home ownership turns,
you know, because you have more state when you own
your own a neighborhood than a renters crime. Yeah, you know,
(21:08):
so it's a good thing to own your home. Home
Ownership is the key to our black neighborhoods.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Home ownership, absolutely, that's the key. And I agree with
you about affordable homes because I was talking to my
niece the other day and she said to me that
her dad, you know, she's been telling her dad to
take some time off and chill, and she said, uh,
he can retire. She said, I think I'm going to
have to work the rest of my life, right, And
(21:36):
that's kind of a sad you know, something to see
or hear from a young person.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
You know what I'm saying. That's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
And it's like, when did you realize that that is probably.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Already already coming at her? A good job, she's one off.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
She's a speech pathologist. Yeah, and she does counseling. So
she's doing well. So you mean you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Yeah, but a lot of these homes now you see
investors coming into our neighborhoods, you know, moving people out,
redoing these homes. They charged like two th hundred thousand
dollars for these homes. Yeah, in neighborhoods that you were like, okay,
you know what I mean. So it's difficult, and we
got to have an avenue for our young folks, you know,
(22:20):
to who we can reach to come back to Memphis,
Yeah and give back here.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, a place We're going to have a place for
him to come to. Who's exempt from paying property taxes
in Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Well that is not in my purview. I'm not going
to answer that because the trustee will get mad at me.
You need to call the trustees office for the ones
that can get I know, I can say if it's
a certain I don't know what the age is. I know,
if you're like a veteran, if you're disable, But that
comes out of the trustees's office. She has a brochure.
You can go on her website and it'll tell you
(22:52):
which ones are exempt from Oh wait, let me back up.
That's one answer. The other answer is we churches don't
pay some church churches don't don't pay property taxes because
a lot of them have their five O one CED
three status. Yeah, so church do not pay, and charitable
organizations do not play does not pay property taxes.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Okay, and I know that's the question. I would certain
ages too.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah. Yeah, but that's out of Regina's office. Okay, exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
We need to call her as far as the exempt status. Yeah, yeah,
I don't have to get you and her in here
one day. That'd be good because, yeah, you're telling me
the difference in your position and some of the others
across the state. Uh, makes kind of makes a difference
because I had no idea that those two you were
not one.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, she's she's the money, you know, I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
The assessor and the person who collects it. I didn't
know that that was not one position in Shelby County.
And we really do need we really do need to
be educated around here.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
That's something I can include in my We have our
retreat at my office, you know, for the constituents to
let them know what the difference is. So I'm glad
you you brought that to my problen't realize who does what? Yeah,
because you're with the banker.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Yeah, and probably knowing that she's the banker, people probably think, oh,
you the person that you know what I'm saying, like.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
You don't want to collect the money. She collects all
the taxes her office.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Okay, and she probably does refer people back to you.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
We go back and forth, yeah, because everybody, you know,
get confused what I do, what she do, and it
goes back and forth.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
So I'm not the first one.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
No, it won't be the last.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Okay, Okay, that's good. Can you tell us some things
I guess about your position that maybe Memphians need to know,
or some things about that about your office downtown that
maybe we don't know that we need to know.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Well, so we have two locations, so and wait, let
me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I'm gonna ask you that again, put a pen in
the net one before I forget this question. So you
assess Memphis because a lot of people get two taxes?
Is that everybody now or is it just I know
people in Memphis get a city in a count of
Shelby County, Okay, and I probably call you that they
do the same made and everybody else probably does the
(25:02):
same in those unincorporated areas, that's where it's just one
am I correct?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Well, so you're right, But in Shelby County. Shelby County
as a whole, Shelby County has several municipalities starting with Memphis, Arlington, Germantownville.
They all make up Billingtons, Millington, Lakeland, so they all
make up that municipality. So when the tax, of course
(25:27):
they ones live in the county. They don't pay a
city tax bill like we do. So you know, you
live in Memphis, you're paying two. You're paying the county
tax and the city tax. So the city taxes were
I think we're due in August of this year, right,
then the county taxes will be due next year of
February of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
So everybody in the county is just doing one.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
No, no, So if you live in Germantown, you're only
paying one, which is the county. But I know they
got they got another tax within their municipaltia because they
these taxes out because the school for the school. Yeah,
so for the most part, you live in Memphis, you're
paying two. You're paying the city and county taxes.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Mm hmmm.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
We're the ones that live in your German towns and like,
just like you said, incorporated, they only just paid one
including whatever you know tax they came up with to
help pay for their schools and some of the amendors
that they have in their municipalities.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Yeah, yeah, okay, that was That was one of those
questions that I was wondering how how that goes and
how you guys mm hm. And so you still got
to figure out both of them.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You do them all. It's everybody. I look at the
whole county as a whole.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
So because Memphis is too, we got two governments. The
got Shelby County and Memphis. So then your assessment goes
to Memphis and then it goes to Shelby County because
they're both sending separate bills.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Right, So so so Shelby County. So Shelby County, let's
say Shelby County is the is the main is the
main one. Everything is in Shelby.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
County, right, everything in Shelby County.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
So they pay the pay county taxes. So when I
send them, when I send your county taxes, notice out,
not the taxes, but your assessment out, it's gonna go
to every home in the county, including Memphis, Arlington, Germantown, Millington, Lakeland.
It go to everybody. So that's that's how it works.
And then when the Memphis, of course taxes come out,
(27:19):
you just go to people in Memphis when Germantown is the.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Right, That's what I'm saying you. But so Memphis City
government they get that information as well as the county.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
As far as in the county too, they get two
they're gonna have two bills because you get one from
Memphis and you get one from me, which is Shelby County. Wow.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Mm hmm, Okay, yep, that's a lot.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I know it is.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
But thank you for coming and thank you for telling
us everything that you've told us. Now, if we want
to reach out to your office, how do we do that.
Are you on social media?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
We are definitely on social media. Thanks to my wonderful
communications assistant, Saria Vond. She keeps us out there on
social media. Facebook, and how that's out there?
Speaker 1 (28:01):
How do we find you? Is it Melvin.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Burgess, It's Melvin Burgess or is.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
It Shelby County Assessor's Office.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
It's Shelby County Assessor, Melvin Burgess. Okay, that's how you
can reach the social the social media platform.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Okay, because I'm trying to find it for myself. Okay,
Shelby County Assessor of Property, Melvin Burgess. Now I am
following you, stalking you, I mean following you. Okay, Okay,
that's good. So maybe if we all kind of kept
(28:40):
up with what your social media, then we can keep
up with your office and all the other things that
you have, of course available to us.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
And you received something in the mail. When we start
the process, I send two pieces of mail out that
will say let's talk real appraisal, and it'll break down,
you know, the process. It'll break down who to contact,
and I communicate your department as well as when you call,
answer Center will be taking calls and taking your you know,
(29:07):
your questions and uh, just be sure you know that. Also,
you can also use our site downtown. We have a
downtown site that I established because I know a lot
of people who live in the inner city can come
all the way out to Muthern Stations, which is Shelby Farms.
So we have an office down there that's also taken information.
So so what they would do, they'll call our office
(29:29):
and we get the measure back to them and you know,
be dispersed to the constituent, okay, because everybody can come
all the way out to Mulin Station. So it's in
the same a building that the trustees office and the
Election Commission is in.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Is there a number that we can reach out.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
To as well to to too, seven thousand.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Two to two seven thousand. That's easy, yeah, And y'all
follow them on social media as well, so you can
keep up with some things that's going on. Shelby County
Assessor of Property Melvin Burgess. Follow him on social media
on Facebook specifically, I don't see I don't know if
you're on Instagram, but I see your own Facebook and
most of us are on Facebook, so y'all go follow him.
(30:08):
Shelby County Assessor of property Melvin Burgess and the number
if you have any questions for him nine oh one
two two two seven thousand, seven thousand. All right, thank
you for coming by and sharing this valuable information with us.
Go easy on us.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Thank you. And you know when I got when I
was electing twenty eighteen, the first mantra that we came
up with is we value people over property.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
So we just want to make sure that you know,
constituents understand and we're there for you. Just please just
give us a call and we'll answer any questions you
might have when they change your assessment.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
All right, Well, there you go, ladies and gentlemen, it
is the pulse. I'm stormy with you, keeping our fingertips
on the pulse of our community. That's going to do
it for today's show. We'll see you next week, same time,
same station. God bless you have a great week.
We're back at it you guys, thanks for joining us
for another edition of the Pulse. We keep our fingertips
on the pulse of our community. I am Stormy with you,
and uh, our special guest this weekend is a man
that you probably all know. You've probably got a letter
or two from him, maybe never met him, but you
(00:21):
probably know his name.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Let me let you introduce yourself to our audience today, Stormy, thanks.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
For having me. Melvin Burgess, Shelby County properly.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Assessor, Melvin Burgess. Y'all saw his name when you went
to go vote.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Thank you, Storm.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Well, he is here and for good reason because uh
and thank you, thank you and your office for reaching
out to me. And uh because our a you know,
our listeners need this information that you're about to share
with us today.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So we've heard about tax increases in Memphis, and I
don't know if Shelby County is getting a tax increase
or what that is or was going on that may
be staying the same, but for Memphians there's going to
be a tax increase and can you explain to us
how that's going to affect us in our community?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Okay, again, thanks for having me stormy. So just kind
of take some steps backwards on the tax increase, you know,
I just jump. But it's the assessor, you know, it's
my job, by statue of state law to determine every
person's or every residential commercial, any place where you see
there's property. Our job is to make sure we do
(01:35):
a adequate assessment and equitable. That's my job. If anything that's
on property, even this building, have to answer or have
to get have to get a review or get an
assessment done.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Basically, everybody's paid.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Everybody. Everybody, Well let's keep the taxes out of right now.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Okay, let's keep that out. But everybody gets assessed.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Everybody has to get assessed. And however, the statue says, unfortunately,
the state of Tennessee, the only way it generates its
revenue is a by property taxes. So that's the money
that we get for the municipalities to run police, fire education.
Those are those funds that the county realized to pay
pretty much to pay his bills. So the market is
(02:17):
still high. So when my job is to go out
do an assessment on your property, we have over three
hundred and fifty one thousand parcels that we look at,
not all on we do physically thousand right, you know,
we have drones and we have other ways of how we.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
In my backyard.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
We can see we're sending your backyard gis and you know,
and we have an appraisal team that you know they
have in a relationship with mar and Alter realtor groups
to look at market values to make sure that we're
on top of we send that assessment out. But the
good thing of it is is that when we send
that assessment out, you have a chance to come to
our office in a pullet. You know, you don't have
(02:58):
to take what I give you or you have to
my office gives you when it comes to the assessment amount.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
So you're saying, if I get a bill, excuse me,
an assessment. Okay, get an assessment and it says my
house is valued at this price, and I can say,
whoa wait a minute, that's right, and then come see
you you can.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
We're gonna send something out stormy about the first of
the year. We're gonna start sending the the information out
on your assessment around March or April. But you received
something in the mirror price. You're getting their notifications saying
let's talk real appraisal. It's gonna give you step by
step if you are not satisfied, you know, with your
appraisal or your assessment amount. So what happens is is
(03:40):
we when we do the assessment, uh and if you
if you feel it's okay, we go with that. Then
it goes to the trustees office. Then what the trustee
does is she waits for the county commission, who says
the tax rate. That's that's where how much you pay
comes in. Right, So that's not you, it's not me.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
So so you're not You're kind of the money guy,
but not the money money.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
All I do is identify the property, okay, and they
determine how much you pay through by way of the
county commission. And I'm a former county commissioner. So the
tax rate now in the county is three thirty nine. Right.
So remember because listeners, the county does not make money
off of re appraisal. There's no windfall because when the
(04:24):
state comes in and lower the rate, they are probably
lord hypothetically maybe the three or nine, except to the
county commission to bring the rate up. That determines how
much you pay based upon your assessment amount. That's what
determines how much your house now will probably be. Not
the assessor. It comes to by way of the county commission.
So I got you all wrong. Okay, oh man, that's
(04:46):
what we got to you know. But the main thing
is for me is that you can appeal it. You
can come in, but you have to come to my office.
Don't go to the border of equalization. Those are the
ones that you go to to appeal it. And of
course there are someone who can afford and peel attorney
who can afford you know, that extra help to get
theirs overturned. But you know in our neighborhood some people
(05:08):
don't have those resources to do that. So that's why
I say, come to me. You know, we can't get
it all right. And that's where I was pushing for,
you know, two year real appraisals so we can get
it right. Yeah, because we really want to grab But
I tell people now when we come out there to
reassess it, to look at it again. Now, if you
mess around and you can build a swimming pool and
got a garage and it's not on their road, we
(05:29):
don't have a problem.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Wow. So make sure it might go up if that
is the case.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
So just make sure that when you go on our
website that the information is correct. But if it's not
correct and we got more than what is actually there,
please give us a call and we can come out
and we can fix that.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Okay, Okay, I don't know if I like the idea
y'all having them drones.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Geis so much technology out there now, it's unbelievable, But
that's that's what we have out there. We have a
lot about three hundred and fifty one thousand parcels that
we do here in Shelby.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
County now, or do you guys work with the people
that do like the the maps and are y'all using
the same drones or the same stuff, because.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
So gs we have like we also have like a
mapping department, so we do do the mapping also, okay
in our office.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Okay, because okay, so this happened to my son once
he was he googled his his house and then he
saw himself in the backyard trying to put out a fire.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Right, those are some of the capabilities even that we
have in our department to try to identify look in
your backyard and I don't think we can't do is
coming the inside okay and outside.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I know that has nothing to do with nothing, but
I know you guys, it's you have to do it.
You have to assess what's there and see.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, and but the main thing storm is we want
to make sure that it's adequate and it's correct. That's
how our major goal, and that's why I was trying
to push for the two year real appraisal because we feel,
you know, we do reviews every two years and we
can get it right in case people's information is not right.
That's a lot of parcels. Yeah, I have to do.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah, that's three hundred and so how many of those
do you have to fix every now and then?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I think the last time we did a real appraisal
was in twenty twenty one, and my team really did
a good job in communications case. What we did was
we wanted to make sure, you know, when people called
about their properties, that we had people who are astute
at appraisal work and not lay people. So we got
like less calls and less appeals. I can't really give
(07:29):
you the number, but it wasn't really high. It wasn't
igh as what we expected it to be. Let me
know that we did a pretty good job explaining it
and people were satisfied and the people when they did call,
we kind of took care of it. But we are
there to help you and my communications team I'm going
to thank the job that they do. We're going to
have something. I don't know the dates yet, but it's
gonna be for the years out. We're going to have
(07:49):
something at our office. Maybe on a Saturday, let's say,
let's talk real praise to wh the public can come
out and talk to our staff, you know, to you know,
get the heads up of you know, what it could
be or what it was last year, and just ask
questions to us. What can we do to help? That's
what I'm here for to help you.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Okay, is your office the same office that handles like
is there tax breaks for elderly and people?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
It is but a stormy that comes out of the
trustees office, Regina Newman, it comes out of her office.
Trustee explain that whole.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I guess the I guess those governmental functions. I guess
because you, being the assessor, I would think that. Okay,
you not only do you assess, but you also are
the person that's responsible, and maybe that's why people go
to the wrong place instead of coming to you in
your office. First.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I think what happens st me is when I first
took the position, people would always refer to me as
the tax assessor. Yeah, And I think they say that
is because you know, we have over like ninety six
assessors in the county. And you know, when I go
to some of the conferences or some of the retreats
that we have. You know, some of the counties are small.
(09:03):
So the tax assessor or the assessor and the trustee
of the same safe that's what they call them. The
tax assessor both functions. But here in our county, you know,
we are the bigger county in the state Tennessee. So
we have which we have a trustee. The trustee for
the most part, just to cut it short, she's the banker,
the you know, is the banker for the county. She
(09:24):
handles all the money, all the money for car tags,
all the money that comes to the county goes straight
to her. So she's the banker. She is the banker
for the county. So when my role is completed and
we're satisfied with the role on the assessment. Then it
goes to her. She gets the role, and she has
the formula that comes from the state. You know, we
don't make we don't make the formula up. It comes
(09:45):
from the state. And then what happens is she waits
to see what the tax rate's going to be or
what the tax rate is going to be approved by
the county Commission right now. Like I said earlier, the
taxwate is three thirty nine. When a real appraise will
come the tax rate would be lowered by the state
three or nine. Then that's when your elected officials, the
county Commission will go in and reset it. That determines
(10:06):
how much you pay when it comes to your property taxes.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Okay, okay, so that's not you.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I just identify the property.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Uh huh, you identify I just identified Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
So anything from Walgreens, Lows, Wolf Chase, Ball home depot,
anything that's property involved has come through off.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Okay. So when we see a bill, though, I guess
it is normal for us to think that it's got
to do with you, since you send the information somewhere else,
and a lot of times people don't know that's right,
so they think, you know what I'm.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Saying yeah, and you know, we get a lot of also,
you know people, I'm sure everyone is listening to this call.
I bet you get a call at least once twice
a week on do you want to sell your home?
And that's because and it's like that, because investors are
looking for homes because they know the values and the
market is still pretty good. So I always encourage, you know,
when I'm on the radio, tell you know, homeowners, don't
(11:01):
sell your home because when you sell it and it's
probably think it's a good price and you can try
to figure out then where you're going to go, right,
does it's still high out here? Yeah, So I encourage
you know, if you can stay in your home, it's
a great investment and just you know, see what you
can do to you know, to maintain your maintain your home.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah. Yeah, And I think some people do look at
that quick payday as a pay day maybe because they
need if they don't realize the house is the payday.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
That's the biggest that set that we could all of us,
I know, especially when we get a lot of people
coming in our office to where you know, they didn't
leave a I'm kind of going sideways, you know, whether
the parents didn't didn't leave like a wheel and you
got four or five kids, and you know they'd be
fighting over who owns the home and junior being the
home all this time keeping it fixed up. And then
(11:45):
when it's time to sell or when they're trying to
get money off of that's when everybody come to life,
right and I realize that it's split up the house,
you know, it is split up, you know, when there's
no wheel, and then and when it's split up, and
then if that if that sister dies, who you know,
who's mother owned the home? I mean the daughter dies,
then guess what it goes to the kids. So it's
down the line. So that's a part that we also
(12:07):
try to, you know, help our constituents understand when it
comes to home ownership that please, you know, get a wheel,
you know, because we see a lot of you know,
these homes where now they're coming to our neighborhoods, you know,
because our neighborhoods are very vulnerable, you know, because of
the blight, and they're not claiming their homes where they're
coming in now stealing the deeds. Had a friend of mine,
(12:29):
how do they do that? Well, they go out there
and look and see there's no movement. And what they
would do is they'll try to, you know, go in
and try to force the names and of who owns it,
and you know, and sometimes it's happening out here. And
Solandra Ford really put a good program in when she
was the rest of Deeds to where if you start,
(12:50):
you know, going on your phone just even looking at
the address, you know, notified the owner that somebody's are
crying about their properties.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Oh okay, that's good, that's really good.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That's that's one of the issues we have to.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Okay, so what about it, you said, will trust is
one of those things. That's one of the safeguard as well.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Exactly anything that you have documented that will that's you know,
that's you know, that's signed off by the courts, you know,
the probate court. Where it's a you know, legitimate document
that will say who owns what, and who owns what,
or who owns or whoever the case might be. That's
a good document to have because a lot of our homes,
our parents, our grandparents really worked hard, you know to
(13:31):
get those homes and all of a sudden, you know,
either the kids are out of town or the kids
or you know who they left the homes two are
no longer around, and that's why you see a lot
of blight in our neighborhoods because those homes are just
left there and you know, they're not being claimed or
either in the tax seal because you know once, you know, once,
if you don't pay your property taxes after a period
of time, yeah, it goes into the land bank and
(13:52):
it's doing a tax seal.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah, that's unfortunate. I'm sure a lot of people have
lost land because of that. It is, and a lot
of families probably there is and black families don't even
know that they got and they lose it that way.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
It is, and that's why I you know, try to
encourage you know, some of these areas with CDCs to
where they can give some of these properties back to
these CDC's because at the end of the day, Stormy
and a homeowner or a person that's part of their
neighborhood have more in state than you know, investors coming in,
you know, so why lose back to the you know,
the people in the Klondike or the Smoker City, Orange
(14:25):
Bound or New Chicago people, somebody in.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
The community yeah, yeah, so taxes probably will go up
next year.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I can't I don't can't. I can't say, because you know,
all I do is just the assessment, So I don't
know what the you know, what would be the actual
rate that these that the county Commission was set. It's
three thirty nine now, so I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
So even with the assessment though, huh. I mean if
my house is valued or was two hundred thousand this year, okay,
and you know, something's happened in the neighborhoods some mine's
Boston made it maybe does that all factor in with
what how the price is raised? You know, if save
(15:09):
for instance, Walmart moves down the street, or businesses start
to come in and their properties more, does that increase?
Is that a reason for a possibility of an increase
on my property?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
They could be a factor. And also what they do
what we do is we look at home sales or
comp sales around your area, like what a home what
did the house sell? It looks like yours maybe two
blocks over or a bout and a half away, you know,
and that's why you know, or they look at you know,
just like you just said, like malls and amenities and
(15:39):
you know, things like that, and that's why our neighborhoods
have a hard time with values because you know, we
don't have those kind of ye mean, it's our neighborod
like you Sam's Club where people can shop. And that's
why our homes and our neighborhoods that are vulnerable just
don't get good assessments. It goes up a little, but
not enough. The way you go to the bank can
(16:00):
get you a second mortgage and you know, do some
of the things you want to do through your home.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Okay, So when you get ready to get started on
getting out there and a praise in these houses, what
time of the year do you start doing that.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Well, we're really doing it now.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
You're doing it now.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
We're doing it now because there's a period like now,
probably by the end of the year, because we've got
to have a period where we can go in and
make corrections. So we're doing it now as we speak.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
And generally people get the bill when.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
He's just gonna get the bill, probably around March, March
or April of next year, twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And that gives us time to come to you.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
That's right, and that's why I'm here to talk about
our team putting it together. We're doing different town halls
so we can say, let's talk real praise. So I
want to get ahead of it so people would know
when they get that document the mail, where to come
to and you know what what can we do to
help to make sure that your appraisal is correct.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Is this the first time you've done town halls?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Oh no, No, you've done it before. I did in
twenty twenty one. That was the first real praise I
went through in twenty twenty one.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
OK So I did it then, Okay, I think that's awesome.
I think it's awesome, and I know people have questions
as it relates to things like that.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Well we'll stormy. I think, you know, I think I
know you know. I'm speaking for myself. Is we got
to educate. We got to educate our people because for myself,
you know, I know who put me in this office. Yeah,
so I want them to understand, you know what this
office can offer you in the resources. Yeah, a lot
of people we don't have the resource to go have
appeal attorneys. But some of you know, but you got
(17:27):
some constituents or you got some Shelby countyons who own
three full five million dollar houses, they can go do that, yeah,
and get it overturned, you know, because they're paying to
do that right where we don't have that resource. However,
you come to me, you know, we'll make sure that
you know you're treated fairly and also will make sure
that you're that you're getting the best assessment you know,
(17:48):
as a pertaintional what we sent you in the mill.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
When do you let us know when these town halls are?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I think my team been putting it out there. I
think we sent out a press release. I think the
first one we did was at the library, the second
one we did was at McFarlane, and the third one
we got one coming up. I think it is the
next week. I think we haven't we have them like
once a week.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Is there somewhere you got it on your website or
someplace we can go to see when these are happening.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yeah, they're not being finalized. We got we've we've gotten
a lot out there, but they haven't finalized it. It's
kind of difficult because it's the holiday seasons from the
start coming up. Yeah, so we're trying to finalize some
of them as we speak, Like I know, I did
one over at the Advice Community Center. I did that
one and.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Did you have a good turnout?
Speaker 2 (18:36):
It was a good turnout, Shelley Rice does a good
job out there. Okay. I think at the library we
at least about thirty to forty people the library. Wow,
so we had a pretty good turnout.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Well, I mean, you know that's all right considering it's
three hundred and fifty one thousand, it's a lot.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
But the main things don't we just won't you know,
trying to get the information. They won't people know the
resources that we have that we can offer because you know,
it's tough. Fact here, it's tough.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
It really is. It really is, especially now, especially now
when everything is going up, tough when McDonald's Dolomna is gone,
and when is Dolominya is gone.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Look, look off, I can show her what you're saying
on this story.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
I mean, I don't freak with those places a lot,
but you know what I'm saying, I've seen the you
know the cost of that going up. And I know
people in communities that feel like you know, uh, they're
property taxes are you know, too high, the bill is
too high. That affects them and their day to day.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
You know what I'm saying, and you know what Stormy
and what really.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Really affects all of us, whether you're renting or whether
you're in a house, if everybody's being affected, it does.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
But what we have to do a better job of
in Shelby County is what Shelby County needs asap soon.
The lady is thirty thousand affordable homes right now. Because
I don't know your age, but when I was coming up,
it was a little difficult trying to get your first home,
but it wasn't that difficult like it is now. So
(20:00):
now you've got a lot of kids now who are
going straight to rental properties, and some of these apartments
they're putting up, they are expensive, very very expensive. So
it's basically blocking our young folks in trying to get
their first home, you know, trying to save a little
money to get that first home, and it's very hard.
So Memphis need to do Shelby County needs to do better,
(20:22):
especially in Memphis and putting affordable home We could use
a least about thirty thousand so I can put them
on the road and make this thing a lot better.
For these young kids who want to come back home
because we're losing our kids who go off to college.
You know. I got two girls went to Spelman and
one stayed in Atlanta, one lives in New York. So
we're losing talent, you know, and you know, we want
(20:45):
them to come back home, you know. So that's something
we got to work on when it comes to home ownership.
And at the end of the day, you know, when
I go to our retreats in different places in East Memphis,
I'm sorry East Tennessee. You know, owning home ownership turns,
you know, because you have more state when you own
your own a neighborhood than a renters crime. Yeah, you know,
(21:08):
so it's a good thing to own your home. Home
Ownership is the key to our black neighborhoods.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Home ownership, absolutely, that's the key. And I agree with
you about affordable homes because I was talking to my
niece the other day and she said to me that
her dad, you know, she's been telling her dad to
take some time off and chill, and she said, uh,
he can retire. She said, I think I'm going to
have to work the rest of my life, right, And
(21:36):
that's kind of a sad you know, something to see
or hear from a young person.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
You know what I'm saying. That's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
And it's like, when did you realize that that is probably.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Already already coming at her? A good job, she's one off.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
She's a speech pathologist. Yeah, and she does counseling. So
she's doing well. So you mean you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Yeah, but a lot of these homes now you see
investors coming into our neighborhoods, you know, moving people out,
redoing these homes. They charged like two th hundred thousand
dollars for these homes. Yeah, in neighborhoods that you were like, okay,
you know what I mean. So it's difficult, and we
got to have an avenue for our young folks, you know,
(22:20):
to who we can reach to come back to Memphis,
Yeah and give back here.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, a place We're going to have a place for
him to come to. Who's exempt from paying property taxes
in Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Well that is not in my purview. I'm not going
to answer that because the trustee will get mad at me.
You need to call the trustees office for the ones
that can get I know, I can say if it's
a certain I don't know what the age is. I know,
if you're like a veteran, if you're disable, But that
comes out of the trustees's office. She has a brochure.
You can go on her website and it'll tell you
(22:52):
which ones are exempt from Oh wait, let me back up.
That's one answer. The other answer is we churches don't
pay some church churches don't don't pay property taxes because
a lot of them have their five O one CED
three status. Yeah, so church do not pay, and charitable
organizations do not play does not pay property taxes.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Okay, and I know that's the question. I would certain
ages too.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah. Yeah, but that's out of Regina's office. Okay, exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
We need to call her as far as the exempt status. Yeah, yeah,
I don't have to get you and her in here
one day. That'd be good because, yeah, you're telling me
the difference in your position and some of the others
across the state. Uh, makes kind of makes a difference
because I had no idea that those two you were
not one.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, she's she's the money, you know, I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
The assessor and the person who collects it. I didn't
know that that was not one position in Shelby County.
And we really do need we really do need to
be educated around here.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
That's something I can include in my We have our
retreat at my office, you know, for the constituents to
let them know what the difference is. So I'm glad
you you brought that to my problen't realize who does what? Yeah,
because you're with the banker.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Yeah, and probably knowing that she's the banker, people probably think, oh,
you the person that you know what I'm saying, like.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
You don't want to collect the money. She collects all
the taxes her office.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Okay, and she probably does refer people back to you.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
We go back and forth, yeah, because everybody, you know,
get confused what I do, what she do, and it
goes back and forth.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
So I'm not the first one.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
No, it won't be the last.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Okay, Okay, that's good. Can you tell us some things
I guess about your position that maybe Memphians need to know,
or some things about that about your office downtown that
maybe we don't know that we need to know.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Well, so we have two locations, so and wait, let
me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I'm gonna ask you that again, put a pen in
the net one before I forget this question. So you
assess Memphis because a lot of people get two taxes?
Is that everybody now or is it just I know
people in Memphis get a city in a count of
Shelby County, Okay, and I probably call you that they
do the same made and everybody else probably does the
(25:02):
same in those unincorporated areas, that's where it's just one
am I correct?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Well, so you're right, But in Shelby County. Shelby County
as a whole, Shelby County has several municipalities starting with Memphis, Arlington, Germantownville.
They all make up Billingtons, Millington, Lakeland, so they all
make up that municipality. So when the tax, of course
(25:27):
they ones live in the county. They don't pay a
city tax bill like we do. So you know, you
live in Memphis, you're paying two. You're paying the county
tax and the city tax. So the city taxes were
I think we're due in August of this year, right,
then the county taxes will be due next year of
February of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
So everybody in the county is just doing one.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
No, no, So if you live in Germantown, you're only
paying one, which is the county. But I know they
got they got another tax within their municipaltia because they
these taxes out because the school for the school. Yeah,
so for the most part, you live in Memphis, you're
paying two. You're paying the city and county taxes.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Mm hmmm.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
We're the ones that live in your German towns and like,
just like you said, incorporated, they only just paid one
including whatever you know tax they came up with to
help pay for their schools and some of the amendors
that they have in their municipalities.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Yeah, yeah, okay, that was That was one of those
questions that I was wondering how how that goes and
how you guys mm hm. And so you still got
to figure out both of them.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You do them all. It's everybody. I look at the
whole county as a whole.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
So because Memphis is too, we got two governments. The
got Shelby County and Memphis. So then your assessment goes
to Memphis and then it goes to Shelby County because
they're both sending separate bills.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Right, So so so Shelby County. So Shelby County, let's
say Shelby County is the is the main is the
main one. Everything is in Shelby.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
County, right, everything in Shelby County.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
So they pay the pay county taxes. So when I
send them, when I send your county taxes, notice out,
not the taxes, but your assessment out, it's gonna go
to every home in the county, including Memphis, Arlington, Germantown, Millington, Lakeland.
It go to everybody. So that's that's how it works.
And then when the Memphis, of course taxes come out,
(27:19):
you just go to people in Memphis when Germantown is the.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Right, That's what I'm saying you. But so Memphis City
government they get that information as well as the county.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
As far as in the county too, they get two
they're gonna have two bills because you get one from
Memphis and you get one from me, which is Shelby County. Wow.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Mm hmm, Okay, yep, that's a lot.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I know it is.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
But thank you for coming and thank you for telling
us everything that you've told us. Now, if we want
to reach out to your office, how do we do that.
Are you on social media?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
We are definitely on social media. Thanks to my wonderful
communications assistant, Saria Vond. She keeps us out there on
social media. Facebook, and how that's out there?
Speaker 1 (28:01):
How do we find you? Is it Melvin.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Burgess, It's Melvin Burgess or is.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
It Shelby County Assessor's Office.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
It's Shelby County Assessor, Melvin Burgess. Okay, that's how you
can reach the social the social media platform.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Okay, because I'm trying to find it for myself. Okay,
Shelby County Assessor of Property, Melvin Burgess. Now I am
following you, stalking you, I mean following you. Okay, Okay,
that's good. So maybe if we all kind of kept
(28:40):
up with what your social media, then we can keep
up with your office and all the other things that
you have, of course available to us.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
And you received something in the mail. When we start
the process, I send two pieces of mail out that
will say let's talk real appraisal, and it'll break down,
you know, the process. It'll break down who to contact,
and I communicate your department as well as when you call,
answer Center will be taking calls and taking your you know,
(29:07):
your questions and uh, just be sure you know that. Also,
you can also use our site downtown. We have a
downtown site that I established because I know a lot
of people who live in the inner city can come
all the way out to Muthern Stations, which is Shelby Farms.
So we have an office down there that's also taken information.
So so what they would do, they'll call our office
(29:29):
and we get the measure back to them and you know,
be dispersed to the constituent, okay, because everybody can come
all the way out to Mulin Station. So it's in
the same a building that the trustees office and the
Election Commission is in.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Is there a number that we can reach out.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
To as well to to too, seven thousand.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Two to two seven thousand. That's easy, yeah, And y'all
follow them on social media as well, so you can
keep up with some things that's going on. Shelby County
Assessor of Property Melvin Burgess. Follow him on social media
on Facebook specifically, I don't see I don't know if
you're on Instagram, but I see your own Facebook and
most of us are on Facebook, so y'all go follow him.
(30:08):
Shelby County Assessor of property Melvin Burgess and the number
if you have any questions for him nine oh one
two two two seven thousand, seven thousand. All right, thank
you for coming by and sharing this valuable information with us.
Go easy on us.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Thank you. And you know when I got when I
was electing twenty eighteen, the first mantra that we came
up with is we value people over property.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
So we just want to make sure that you know,
constituents understand and we're there for you. Just please just
give us a call and we'll answer any questions you
might have when they change your assessment.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
All right, Well, there you go, ladies and gentlemen, it
is the pulse. I'm stormy with you, keeping our fingertips
on the pulse of our community. That's going to do
it for today's show. We'll see you next week, same time,
same station. God bless you have a great week.
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