9 Oklahoma counties fail audit on property valuations
The Associated Press and The Tulsa World - January 3, 2017 9:34 am
TULSA, Okla. (AP) – Oklahoma’s state auditor says nine counties are out of compliance with the state’s property valuation rules and processes, but much of that is linked to a software issue.
State Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones says he expects at least five of those counties to pass the audit next year.
Jones says that ensuring all counties are in compliance will bring in more state revenues from property taxes.
The Tulsa World reports that the counties that aren’t complying have not yet fully implemented a specific computer software system used in property appraisals.
Haskell County is one of the counties that failed, but County Assessor Roger Ballard says the software system is now in place and the county should be in compliance next year.
“As soon as they do the audit, we’ll be back in compliance,” Ballard said.
The other counties that failed the audit were: Bryan, Choctaw, Johnston, Latimer, McCurtain, Murray, Okfuskee and Seminole counties, all in the southeast part of the state.
Four counties — Tulsa, Oklahoma, Canadian and Lincoln — received a perfect score.
