Hundreds attend Orange County meeting to speak on tax reassessment

Hillsborough, N.C. — Hundreds attended an Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday to express concern that taxes may go up because property valuations have gone up.

The members of the overflow crowd, who did not get a chance to speak at the monthly meeting, were upset over what the county says their homes are worth.

Tax officials said that overall, homes were worth an average of 23 to 25 percent more than four years ago. In Chapel Hill, the average increase was 28 percent.

The value of living in Orange County has driven home values up, county tax assessor John Smith said.