Page County Commissioner of the Revenue Responds to Reassessment Complaints
LURAY, Va. — After Page County property owners received reassessment notices proposing steep increases last week, they immediately voiced concerns.
“Wow! Just got our new 2026 Tax Reassessment Notice. Our .84 acre Shenandoah River lot increased 903% from $10k to $100.3k,” one resident wrote on social media.
“I’m trying to figure out what I did to make my house double in value, so I can undo it,” wrote another.
Within days, hundreds of complaints flooded Facebook.
Local resident Candace Painter created an online petition opposing the increases.
The petition reads:
This is personal to me because my own home in Page County was hit with a 381.82% property tax assessment increase in a single year — raising its assessed value from $138,100 to $665,400 — despite no major improvements or renovations being made.
I live here. I work here. This is my family’s home. An increase of this magnitude threatens my ability — and the ability of many others — to remain in the community we’ve built our lives in. If this can happen to me, it can happen to any homeowner here.
Property tax assessments in Page County have become exorbitant and unrealistic, forcing dedicated residents to question their future in their homes. Real estate values are being assessed at rates that do not reflect the actual market value, creating financial burdens that are impossible for many to shoulder.
The current system lacks transparency and accountability. Data used for these assessments appear flawed and inconsistent, not taking into account vital factors such as market trends, neighborhood conditions, or even recent property sales. It is time for the authorities in Page County to step forward and rectify this imbalance.
We are asking the Page County Board of Supervisors to implement more equitable property tax assessment practices. This includes commissioning a thorough review of current processes by an independent committee and ensuring regular, transparent, community-inclusive evaluations. Furthermore, we suggest establishing a clear channel for homeowners to dispute assessments without facing prohibitive costs.
Our community deserves to thrive without the crippling weight of unfair taxation.
By signing this petition, you are standing up for fair treatment, sustainable living costs, and the preservation of our community’s integrity.
Let's come together to demand justice in our property tax assessments and protect our homes and future.
Please sign this petition to urge the Page County Board of Supervisors to make fair property tax assessments a reality for all residents.
The petition may be accessed HERE.
In response to the uproar, Page County Commissioner of the Revenue Rebecca Smith issued the following statement on January 30:
Reassessment notices were sent out last week. As expected, they were met with shock, surprise, and anger.
My office has been fielding dozens of questions each day in regards to the dramatic increase of property values shown on the reassessments.
As your Commissioner, I share your concerns. The assessment on our home increased dramatically, as did most of yours.
Acting in my capacity as Commissioner of the Revenue, I have reached out to every member of the Board of Supervisors to share with them the impact this will have on county taxpayers. As such, they have agreed with my recommendation that the real estate tax rate needs to be lowered substantially.
The question remains —why are the assessed values so much higher than they were in 2021? The answer to that can be traced in no small part, to COVID.
It is no secret that people in densely populated Northern Virginia and Maryland were looking to move to rural areas during and after the COVID pandemic. Telework made this even easier for many of them. They were even willing to pay far above a sellers’ asking value for a home, for a chance to live here in our beautiful county.
Assessments are comparative. If a home previously assessed at $200,000 sells for $300,000, all similar homes will then be assessed at $300,000. There have been numerous instances of homes in Page County selling for three times the assessed value.
As your Commissioner, I am trying to provide you with as much information regarding the reassessment process as I can.
If you have specific questions regarding your assessment, or if you feel it may be incorrect, please contact the reassessment firm, Cowan Services at 540-391-0779 to schedule an appointment.
As of February 1, the statement has received nearly 400 responses on the Page County Facebook page alone.
The official Commissioner of Revenue Facebook page added the following statement:
As our office is receiving questions regarding the reassessment, I will be posting information to explain the questions that have been asked.
Thank you for your patience. Check out our page frequently as more posts will be made.
The county website will also be posting updates as well.
Page County Commissioner of the Revenue information may be accessed HERE.
Page County Board of Supervisors contact information may be accessed HERE.
BOS meeting agendas and minutes may be accessed HERE.