I was shocked at my new tax appriasal. Even though I haven’t received mine in the mail, the 2009 tax appraisals for Shelby County, including areas withing the Memphis City limits are now on line at County Assessor Cheyenne Johnson’s site. The media has been saying that Midtown would receive a modest increase, like 2% across the board, but I was hit with a 23.5% increase over 2008. A friend reported a 50% increase, and I have not heard from a Midtowner yet who wasn’t at least in double digits.

Is Ms. Johnson’s office using stable in-city properties to make up for huge value decreases in other parts of the county? Hopefully our local media will look into this, because, if this level of increase is pervasive, the Assessors office will be more than swamped with appeals.

Check the site or check your mail Monday (in city appraisals were mailed Friday 3/27), and let me know how you fared. I will be doing a followup to this post so please feel free to leave comments here, email me, or send a tweet.