I have discovered 4 videos posted on youtube by former Commissioner Mark Harmon from April 17, 2009 where John Whitehead‘s opponent had a District 2 meeting at the Time Warp Tea Room. I have posted them here. I suspect that within the day Whitehead’s opponent will call Harmon and have them taken down just as he did when he called WATE and had the “Don Dare investigation on himself” taken down after it was linked on John Whitehead’s website. In preparation for these four videos to be taken down, I am going to give you soundbites under each video.
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Part 1 is 9:07 in length. He said he was there to discuss the reappraisal’s and that his clock was 1/1/2005 – 1/1/2009. He said “if you’ll listen…I think I can get you up to speed a little bit better that the papers or media can do, 2-3 inch columns in a paper or 6 minutes on Gene Patterson you just can’t grasp the reappraisal process” In the reappraisal process, they look at cost, market and income. Income is primarily used on commercial property. He stated that Knox County has 190,800 parcels in the 526 miles of Knox County. In 2008 there were 4500 sales and in 2007 6500 sales. He stated that his dataline is 1981, Knox County began doing it’s own appraisals in 1983. He only uses “valid sales”, He says the state does not allow foreclosures or bankruptcies to be considered for a valid sale. He stated that “his book of business ended on 1/1/2009. That it will not reopen until 2013. He stated that he couldn’t talk to them about 2007/2008. He said when the property value went up in 2005/2006 your property value or taxes did not increase, you didn’t pay more
Part 2 is 9:10 in length. He began with foreclosures are up, employment is down. “Countrywide Mortgage, the king of predator lending” He said home values down. He again said he would not talk about 2007/2008. He said is is about the process of 2005/2008. He said “we just have not seen the amount of foreclosures here that others have.” He discussed cutbacks at Alcoa, Sea Ray, Goody’s and Brunswick. He put up a picture of a home for sale in Williamson County and said “if you buy this house in Williamson County, they will put the Mercedes in your garage.” Man, that is a good gift for buying a house. But I digress. He said that Tennessee is the 16th most populated state in America and 19th in foreclosures. He said in the 2nd qtr there were 691 foreclosures. He said in Knox County in 2008 were 1500 foreclosures. In Nashville County there were 3800 and in Shelby County / Memphis there were 6700 foreclosures but 6500 new home sales. In 1998.
He said that from 1998-2007 the median income in Knox County was $50,000 and that the median price home sale was $159,000. He said that Knoxville ain’t been hit by recession like the rest, you can look at any numbers in the books. He said your homes appreciated in 2005/2006. “When it boomed, you didn’t have to pay more money”
Part 3 is 9:39 in length. He said that when the market was hot it was up 28%. In 2008 in Knox County our increase was 15% while other counties like Union, Greene and Scott were up 20-40%. He talked about Hamilton County (Chattanooga) He said there are areas that really bring the values up like Red Bank and Soddy Daisy. He said Farragut and Hardin Valley are not like Red Bank and Soddy Daisy. It just doesn’t bring our values up.
He talked about revenue neutral. If property goes up, the tax rate goes down. He said that the city tax rate was $2.81 and the county was $2.69 He said that in West Knox home sale in 2004-2008 they increased and then tapers off. He said if your reappraisal went up 16.6% on a $150,000 home that your previous tax bill was $1008.75 but with a 16.6% reappraisal your tax bill would go down to $1001.80 If your appraisal went up 25% he said that is really only a 10% increase cause when it went up 15% they (county commission) reduced the tax rate. That would cause your tax bill to increase to $1073. a $64.68 increase.
He said that’s not media newsworthy. What is media newsworthy he asked. 50% increase is what he answered to his own question. He went on to say, that’s what you see in newsprint. He said, “I say, Knoxville don’t panic”
Part 4 is 8:10 in length. He pointed out that Commissoner Mark Harmon and Commissioner Dr. Richard Briggs were present as was John from IT. He also had staff members Cathy Murrell, Bob Kohol, Paula Rudder and Jordan.
He said that the commissioners have a tougher job, figuring out how to spend all the money. He said there were a ton of refinancing going on right now. He said “out in west knoxville where there’s new subdivisions there is little change.
He finished with “we have not done a bad job, this time”
Jeez, Louise! This guy ain’t got a clue.
Nope “not a Clue”…..
Glad to know he is working (and I say working b/c this is like a stand up comedy act) the Time Warp Tea Room…. he is in a “time warp” for sure
Blah, blah blah blah blah.
Vote for John Whitehead!
“Well folks, I am Phil Ballard, and this is Property Apraisin 101”
A. I ain't no certified appraiser.
B. I ain't passed the state tests
to be certified.
C. I am waistin yer tax dollars
on fancy computer programs you
really dont need, yeap, 6
hundred thousand.
D. Yeap I got a lots of political
family members on my payroll,
ever day is like a GOP
convention.
E. Yeap I got married to Cindy on
7/7/77.
F. Yeap one of my staff members is
gittin a good deal on his
underassed house.
G. Nope the markit ain't bad on
house sales here in
Knocksville, yer home it shore
worth what my staff said it's
worth.
H. Yeap I swapped one of my
appraisers who got arrested
fer drankin and drivin on
County time fer one of the
fellers in the Trustees office
so as I could pull some votes
from West Knockville.
I. Nope I ain't never appraised
a house, but I shore can
figure an insurance claim.
J. Yeap I got a lot a signs out
that say promises made
promises kept.
K. I promise to hire alot of
people pay em big salaries,
and nope they don't do no work
L. I got people in my office that
if you looked at their swipe
card they ain't never here.
But I pay em any way.
M. Yeap that infermation on Don
Dare is correct, and I shore
am complainin to git it off TV
N. Yeap I am Ballard on the Ballot
O. Oh, I am runnin fer County
Comishiner, ah shux, Property
Assesser.
P. Please vote fer me cuz I need
a job.
Q. I got me some literature on
property appraisin and Craig
will tell you all about how
assessin works, cuz thats what
I pay him bout $70 thousin
dollars a year fer.
R. Yeah I had me a barn dance out
at the Expo my employees had
ta donate ther paycheck to sit
eat.
S. Yeap it shore has ben nice bein
yer property assesser and gitin
bout $117 thousan dolars a
year fer.
T. Now don't fergit my car
allowance fer my Cadillac,
even Opie Taylor got an
allowance from Andy.
U. You better vote fer me I needs
a job.
V. I thank yer house was sold
fer $110 thousin so Im a gona
tax it fer that amount and
ain't gonna check to make
sure.
W. Just pay that tax cuz my office
needs a lot more employees.
X. Just sign yer name on the
X on yer check.
Y. Y I ain't certified, nope but
yer assesser.
Z. Oh last but not least, I
Farred John Whitehead cuz I
promised his job to some feller
else.
Oh shucks I am out of ABC's and I ain't good at ciferin numbers, thats too much like property assessin.
How much do we pay this clown to assess property, even Ronnie Milsaps could see this man is an idiot.
Phil is Phil. Another reason Steve Hunley's gang can't shoot straight. The Czar of East Knoxville needs to pick better stooges.
You heard it here first folks, Steve Hunley will plaster Phil Ballard on the front page of his paper on Monday praising how great of a job he has done. We know the truth about that office. Money won't but this election, will be a low voter turnout and a select few will make the decission. GET OUT AND VOTE PEOPLE, this man has got to be shown were over his inabilities to perform the duties of Property Assessor.
I got a postcard from Ballard today. Wouldn't you think his publicity person would get him a better toupee?
Well I was right, just seen Hunleys paper, Ballard plasterd to the front, makes me sick, I am selling out and moving if this cad gets elected, not paying taxes for stupidity.