ROANOKE, Va. – When Randy Pohlman opened his mailbox the other day, he was in for a shock.
“This threw everything off,” Pohlman said.
Pohlman lives in Southeast Roanoke, where he’s resided since 2022.
A few days ago, he received his new property assessment in the mail.
“I just got this notice that starting in July 2024, they’ve increased it another 4.52%,” he said.
This assessment comes after an increase of 30.77% last year, making Pohlman’s tax bill jump from around $600 to over $800.
“In this economy, it makes no sense to me ... for those of us who live month to month and barely survive,” he said.
His real estate value went up nearly $16,000 last year and went up another $3,000 this year, making his taxes go up again.
“It’s gotten to a place where we’re not going to be able to afford to live,” he said.
Pohlman is on a fixed income, leaving him little wiggle room when it comes to his budget.
“They have lost touch with reality in this economy and I don’t see it getting any better any time soon,” he said.
10 News reached out to Roanoke City spokesperson Carol Corbin, who said the real estate rate hasn’t increased, but if you disagree with your assessment, you can appeal it. The current real estate tax is $1.22 per $100.
Corbin said there is an increase to the stormwater utility fee, which is included in real estate taxes, which goes up every year until 2028. It is currently $1.20 per month, per billing unit.
10 News asked Pohman how this affects his day to day.
“It affects me tremendously day to day ... I don’t have answers. At some point, I don’t know if there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and if there is, it might be a freight train,” Pohlman said.
If you want to appeal your assessment, the information is here. The deadline to appeal is Feb. 2.