Q: Can you tell us about the recent certification of the tax roll?
A: On Oct. 7, our office certified the 2021 Tax Roll to the St. Johns County Tax Collector. The tax collector is now preparing the tax bill, which will be mailed on or about Nov. 1.
As a reminder, homeowners can receive a discount if they pay their tax bill early: If they pay in November, they receive a 4 percent discount; in December, they receive a 3 percent discount; in January, they receive a 2 percent discount; and in February, they receive a 1 percent discount. The full amount is due in March, with a deadline of April 1, 2022.
Q: Do you have any interesting facts about this year’s tax roll?
A: This is the largest tax roll in the history of St. Johns County, which is probably not too surprising. This year, we assessed approximately 157,000 parcels. The just value of the tax roll in 2021 is $46.9 billion, as compared to $42.7 billion in 2020, a $4.2 billion increase. The taxable value that we certified this year is $33.3 billion as compared to $30.4 billion in 2020. There was almost $1 billion in new construction added to the roll. Our expectations for next year, based upon the property sales this year as well as building permits issued, are for the tax roll to be bigger.
Q: What’s next for the Property Appraiser’s office?
A: We have now moved forward to the assessment period for 2022. We call it a working tax roll and we will be in this period until June 2022, when we finalize the roll and send it to the Department of Revenue and the taxing authorities.
This is a good time to remind people, especially new homeowners this year, to apply for homestead exemption prior to the deadline of March 2022 if they qualify. To qualify, the property must be your primary residence and your driver’s license must show the address. Additionally, you cannot receive property tax benefits in any other state in the United States. In 2021, we took in 14,840 new homestead exemption applications.
Q: What else do you have to share with northern St. Johns County residents?
A: Beginning in January, our office will resume our outreach efforts. We go out to neighborhoods and give presentations and even take homestead and other exemption applications on site. We already have plans to visit Nocatee, RiverTown and Durbin Crossing and would like to visit all neighborhoods. If your homeowners association or community development district would like us to come out, please call our office to schedule.
Q: What is the best way for our readers to contact you?
A: Our office is located at 4030 Lewis Speedway Ste. 203, (904) 827-5500. It is open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Also, readers can email me at Eddie@sjcpa.us or call me at (904) 827-5500.
