On Thursday, Dec. 18, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is expected to adopt a new three-year agreement that will further expand the county’s use of aerial imaging technology to identify unreported buildings and property improvements for tax purposes.
That way they can figure out who’s been naughty or nice when it comes to informing the Tax Department.
The item, sponsored by Guilford County Tax Director Ben Chavis, authorizes a sole-source agreement with Pictometry International Corporation to provide annual countywide aerial photography at a total cost of $837,300 over three years.
County staff say no additional county funds will be required since the expense was already approved as part of the reappraisal budget process.
Over the last several years, the Guilford County Tax Department has increasingly relied on technology to strengthen its property tax oversight. That effort has included both a more aggressive posture toward tax foreclosures – as well as expanded use of advanced imaging systems designed to locate taxable property that might not yet be on the county’s tax rolls.
The aerial imaging program works by flying over the county during winter months, when leaves are off the trees and ground-level features are more visible.
High-resolution photographs are taken of every parcel in the county, capturing rooftops, additions, accessory buildings, pools, garages and other improvements.
Specialized software used by the Tax Department then compares the newest images with images from previous years to flag changes that may indicate new construction or additions.
County officials say many of the improvements identified through the system aren’t the result of intentional wrongdoing: In some cases, property owners might not realize that additions such as sheds, workshops, garages, or expansions to existing structures must be reported for tax purposes.
In other cases, however, improvements have been deliberately omitted from tax records in order to avoid higher tax bills.
The annual update of aerial imagery is intended to help the Tax Department identify those changes to the tax base more efficiently – allowing staff to focus on verification and valuation rather than manual discovery.
According to county materials prepared for the December 18 meeting, the goal is to capture new buildings and improvements more effectively and ensure that the overall tax base accurately reflects the built environment across Guilford County.
Pictometry International Corporation is being recommended as a sole-source provider because its Eagleview software integrates exclusively with the Farragut North Carolina Property Tax System, or NCPTS – which Guilford County uses for property tax administration.
Under North Carolina law, formal bidding requirements don’t apply when a needed product is available from only one source or supplier.
Tax Department staff say that the integration between Eagleview and the existing tax system allows aerial data to be used directly within the county’s property records workflow. That, they say, reduces the duplication of effort and minimizes the need for manual data transfers or custom programming.
That integration, according to county officials, was a key factor in recommending continuation of the relationship.
The move to annual aerial photography represents an expansion of an approach already used by Guilford County and many other jurisdictions nationwide.
The Guilford County Tax Department has a stellar record of collecting taxes: It often ends up with a collection rate of over 99 percent and it frequently finishes in the top ten in the state in that category of collections.
As property values rise and local governments face increasing pressure to maintain revenue without raising tax rates, more tax departments have turned to aerial imagery, geographic information systems, and automated change-detection tools to ensure assessments are complete and accurate.
Supporters of the technology argue that it promotes fairness by ensuring that similar properties are taxed similarly, regardless of whether improvements were voluntarily reported. They also contend that the systems help reduce reliance on complaint-driven enforcement, which can create uneven outcomes across neighborhoods.
Critics of aerial assessment programs country have occasionally raised concerns about privacy and over-reliance on automated data. County officials have previously emphasized that aerial imagery is used as a discovery tool rather than a final assessment, with staff verification required before any changes are made to tax records.
According to the meeting agenda materials, the agreement will allow the Tax Department to maximize its existing human resources and work more efficiently, rather than expanding staff to conduct widespread in-person inspections.
By updating imagery annually, staff can more quickly identify changes and address them closer to the time they occur.
If adopted, as expected, the agreement will take effect for three years and continue Guilford County’s shift toward technology-driven tax administration. The December 18 vote is scheduled as part of the Board of Commissioners’ regular meeting consent agenda, and items on that agenda almost always pass.
Speaking of taxes, the worst are insidious things we did not vote for, the most cruel of all forms of taxation: INFLATION.
Most people wonder why prices continue to go up. They are not, is the DOLLAR that is going down. Every dollar in, and added to the national debt has to be created by the Federal Reserve, which is a sneaky name for a National Bank. A bank of fiat money.
An example is the price of a Big Mac. In 1980, the retail price was $.50, today the McD website lists it @6.74. But, the “Big” Mac is now 40% smaller. So for comparison of the price of what you get, reduce the price of 1980 to $.30. $.30 v/s $6.75 is 22.5 times as much money – 2,250%. The U.S govt calculator indicates just over 400% increased pricing. Anyone who believes govt (and reported inflation) figures, has never purchased anything, or lives in Fantasy Land. Not all of this is inflation of course, there are numerous costs of doing business that did not exist in 1980, onerous taxation for one, etc. Have your net wages gone up 2,250% since 1980?
On another note, I have written before that Goodwill pulls are their “better” FREE donations, and sells them at auction on line. Hardly anything left in their stores worth buying, looks like junk from the basement. Meanwhile, the CEO makes upwards from $743,000/year. Other layers of management, etc. The help hardly makes enough to pay their transportation to/from work, and have much left for needs. “Goodwill” is what-a-racket. They want up to $4.50 for a used T-shirt, which I can buy new at NMB @3/$10.
Lower and middle classes are being wiped out, only the well-placed can survive. The rate of inflation can only get worse. NO administration can fix it.
And a tip of the hat to the Federal Reserve.
Why do you leave off the conservative strategy of reducing tax revenue while increasing spending? The National debt is the core issue. The Feb is just propping up the imbalance of revenue and spending. Tax cuts benefit the wealthy and corporate contributors to political parties. We need to balance the budget during ‘good years’ so we can borrow during down years. Then the fed doesn’t HAVE to borrow (ie print) so much money.
Not complicated.
Chris do you know the last time either the state or National budget was balanced. What President was in office
Can you tell us without the help of AI. I can. I voted for him
I tip my imaginary hat to you for doing your research!
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Thanks to Miller for a thoughtful, well researched comment.
When the Government tells you that the inflation it has created is just 3 per cent annually, you just know they’re lying.
Lying, lying, lying. It’s what they do.
Invasion of privacy to further the cause. Theft of John Q’s money under the threat of fines, leins, foreclosure, or imprisonment. Sounds like a wonderful way to treat the citizens who already pay too much and fund way too many senseless programs. How about enforcing welfare fraud, or not funding purple haired transgender salamander erection research or whatever the oddities of the day may be. Rather than raising teacher salaries, how about firing school administrators who’s schools do not perform. Lots of ways to save a buck. Go find it within your budgets & give most of ours back.
Just Sayin, no need for my comment as you covered all the bases. It only cost $837k over 3 years. Chump change to Skip but it’s your money not his.
Find another means to fund county government rather than property taxes. The property tax system is so unfair. And now Big Brother in the form of surveillance will be hunting for potential violators. All of this is to collect more property tax money from homeowners primarily. Let’s tax property that is currently exempt from property tax: Woolworth Museum; posh retirement homes occupying hundreds of acres; country clubs with their well-kept greens; Mosques with their golden domes, synagogues, and churches as well as all property used for religious purposes; houses that are given nonprofit status because it allegedly has some significant historical value. The list is a long one. How many nonprofits launder money? The Somalis in Minnesota were able to defraud the government out of billions of dollars (mine and your tax dollars because the money was federal dollars) while under the guise of nonprofit. The property tax system is broken. Property owners that are not nonprofits cannot continue to carry the burden of higher and higher taxes to pay for failing schools and failing county government.
The main property tax “rogues” are those in city government who keep raising it to pay for their pay raises, their jaunts to exotic places for meetings, and to pay for the incentive packages for businesses who have no intention of staying after the packages have run their course!
How about this we bought our houses with money that’s already been taxed we furnish and do everything with money that’s already been taxed. Property taxes are nothing other than extortion of the public let’s do away with property taxes all together and quit letting the government steal our money. This is double taxation and it is against the law and until we the people stand up and say f*** you we’re not paying it no more they’re going to keep on f****** us
So you want local governments to be funded by income tax? Or are you pretending you don’t need local city or county services?
This communism way of doing things. City and county commissioners are out of control. They are killing retirees who can barley pay the taxes now. What will they do when they put us on the street begging?
Its time to do away with property taxes and if the county needs revenue then charge sales tax on everything but the voters have to vote to raise sales taxes!!!
Another example of the erosion of our privacy to fuel their insatiable lust for money. Already we’re paying a rate of tax that is outrageous .we pay to park our cars on our own property for which we pay taxes. We’re taxed to support a public education that is failing against any published standard. I can’t imagine what invasion of our privacy and our purse Alston and the band have in mind, but rest assured, it’s coming.