The number of Orange County property owners disputing their property 

taxes jumped 23% this year.    The deadline to appeal is less than a week away and the Orange County Assessor’s office already reduced tax assessments for a fifth of the county’s land parcels. 

This year so far there have been 4.5 times more tax appeals than in 2006 and it is projected that tax appeals filed by homeowners alone could rise 85% this year.

Properties are taxed according to their value, with increases limited by Prop. 13 to 2% a year. The county Assessor’s Office determines the taxable value of each and when property values drop, the assessor reduces taxable value assessments for eligible properties.

Appeals must be turned into the clerk’s office at the County Hall of Administration (333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Room 101, Santa Ana) by 5 p.m. Tuesday or, if filed by mail, must be postmarked no later than Tuesday.

Forms are available online at the Clerk of the Board’s website at http://assessmentappeals.ocgov.com/aa/ and are also available at most public libraries and at the Clerk of the Board’s office.