Blue Ridge Mass Appraisal owner goes on defense

[UPDATE: Augusta tax revolt was a HUGE success]

I don't know David Hickey ... have never met the man. An article in Saturday's Staunton News Leader offered some interesting -- and eye-opening -- comments from Mr. Hickey who is the owner of Blue Ridge Mass Appraisal, the company in the middle of real estate assessment storms in Augusta, Gloucester, and Bath counties:

On Augusta County citizens appealing their 2005 assessments:

"Everyone came in with the same crap, saying that this is a flawed reassessment and that these guys don't know what they are doing."

On Augusta County citizens' lack of education of assessments:

Hickey said another factor that led to the ongoing controversy is the public's lack of education on the topic. He said he was disappointed that there was such poor attendance for three public presentations on the reassessment process, which were conducted before the notices were mailed out. However, he shot down the prospect of holding another meeting because he said the vast majority of the public are beyond listening to him at this point.

On Churchville attorney Francis Chester who has led the fight to sue supervisors for not rolling assessments back to 2005 values:

"Everyone has to recognize that this guy is a crank," he said. "Whenever you Google his name, it comes up as 'Churchville attorney Francis Chester,' but it should say 'discredited Churchville attorney Francis Chester.' "

On Supervisor Tracy Pyles:

Hickey said Chester and Pyles, who are the two most public faces of the reassessment attacks, have only confused and misled by making their arguments without correctly analyzing the facts. Hickey said Pyles, in his opposition, stated many of the facts out of context.

There is a Board of Supervisors meeting this Wednesday, March 25, at 7 pm at the Government Center in Verona. Real estate tax rates will be discussed at that time.