March 28, 2025 • 47 mins
WDIA's Stan Bell conducted an interview with Mr. Melvin Burgess II. He is the Property Assessor for Shelby County. Joining Mr. Burgess is his Special Assistant, George Boyington.
Topic of Discussion: Appraisals, Reassessment, and xAI.
Topic of Discussion: Appraisals, Reassessment, and xAI.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Memphis, Floring and Brad walking the walk and talking and talk.
It's the Stan Belle Morning Show, weekday mornings from six
to ten am on the heart and Soul of Memphis.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Ten seventy wd IA Welcome back. We're so glad that
you are here. You decide to stay with us, Man,
that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Yeah, it does. I was able to get our special
guests out of the green room. Baby.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
For some reason, folks don't want to come out to
the green room because we lay it out, you know,
we we got you know, little breakfast brunch mormosas, and
they don't want to come out to the green room, and
they I.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Guess they'd like the hospitality. Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Good morning inside the WDIA control room in the studios.
The Assessor of Property for Shelby County, mister Melvin Burgess
in the building. Get a micael on you, sir. Thanks Dan,
thanks for having me this morning. I really appreciate thanks
for the invitation.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
Man.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Man, look you're looking dap as usual.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thanks you that you, you know, showing love and covering
some time out of your business schedule, extremely business schedule,
saying assessors, officers to come people, A wdi you more
than welcome.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I gotta do you like I do all the rest
of my guests.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Let me start with family first and most important, how's
the family.
Speaker 6 (01:07):
Everybody's doing good. The girls are doing good. Of course,
one lives in New York, one lives in Atlanta, so
both are doing well. The wife is doing well. But
you know, I lost my mom about about three weeks
going March the third, So just trying to get through that,
but I know I get through it, and just keeping
God first and doing what I need to do to
move every day, and just making sure that my constituents
are up on these new values. That's because I know
(01:29):
it's a shocker. I know some of them are really
you know, trying to understand why it's so high. But
that's why I'm here, and that's why I'm glad you
invited me today so I can explain, you know, what
happened and how can we get that resolved or what
I need to do to help the constituency.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Aunty, We're going to get into that. I'm still on family.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
That bird that's okay, that birds name, Come on, now,
we can't just stop when we hear burges we think
about your daddy.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
That's right, I know, and Mama, I don't know that's right.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
But but but Daddy Burges, that's right, the former police director,
that's right. And the impact he had so many folk,
not only you talk to me if you could, very
good about some of these one on one conversations you
had that y'all had.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah, you know, one thing that was really uplifting.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
Of course, when I moved back to when I moved
back to Memphis from Denver, you know, me and my
dad were you know, re established our relationship. And but
what was really really lightning to me when not when
he died, but when he did die, right when I
was out in the community, you know, trying to take
care of my business. You'd be surprised umber of people
that walked up to me. First First of all, they said,
you look just like your dad, so they already know that.
(02:34):
And they would just say about some of the experiences
that they had with my father. Like I think one
of the young ladies she was at at the time,
easy Way, and she asked, my dad, Sarah, could you
tell me what are aroma vegetables? You know, you know
like and she said, your dad he kind of went off,
but it was in a good way.
Speaker 7 (02:52):
You know.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
He was like a he was hard talk, but he
was gentle, you know, and I just got so I
guess got so much of that and it really let
me under stand today, you know what he meant to
this community.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
And I still get it.
Speaker 6 (03:03):
You know, when I'm out and about that, people still say, hey, man,
one for your dad, I wouldn't have done this. Your
dad encouraged me to go back to school, or your
dad this and that. So you know, he's still it's
still ringing out here, the accomplishment that he did.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
And I am so proud of him.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, man, you know what you are spending the image
of them, that's what they said. I get that a
lot with my oldest boy. You look like him out.
Uh he's bit you out. But you know, and I
want to bring that about your father. Man is a
great man. You mentioned a gentle man. Well, a gentle
man is a gentleman. That's right, right, that's right. A
(03:37):
gentleman is a gentleman. And he did a lot of
things for a lot of people. I was speaking with
my friend Alex Coleman over at news Channel three. You know, Alex,
he said, stand, he inspired me. I admired him, you know,
talking about your daddy, and he had some conversations with
Melvin Burgess Senior and man and it inspired him and
he's inspired so many other young men too. So, Man,
(03:58):
I just want to thank you for even being able
to speak on that.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Thank you. I know it's still got to touch it
for you than it's been.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
How many years is twenty eighteen, twenty eighteen, so we're
talking about what seven years? Yeah, yeah, that's great. All right, So,
ladies and gentlemen of the audience, I've got the proper
property assessor of Chevy County in the building.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
We're gonna come back and talk a little bit more
with him.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Melvin Burgess, affectionate known as Butch on the radio, Dad
is that's where we are in Memphis, Tennessee. All right,
my special guests this morning on WDIA, Shelby County property Assessor, mister.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Melvin Burgess Junior.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Now, many of you may ask, well, Stan, what is
the duty or what are the duties of Shelby count Assessor.
I'm glad you, ass Now, I had to do a
little homework show prep. Of course, when I knew mister
Burgess was coming in just to make sure I was
on the right page identifying, classifying, and appraising all tax
(05:00):
property within the county, including real, personal and mixed property
to determine its market value for property tax purposes.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Am I in the house is more mic? Yes, so
so so far, so good, so far.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
And your role for local government is what I'm gonna
let you kind of tell us that you know, because
I know the assessor. Your primary role for local government
is what is that's the praise market value evolved?
Speaker 6 (05:28):
What same kind of same thing. That's the kind of
the same thing. That's my role stand for the Tennessee
Code anitay, which is the law. But I've done some
things outside of my purview, like I've had some We
did a lot of work with Orange Mound Revitalization where
we went in we formed the first inn d C,
which Neighborhood Deveopment Corporation over an Orange Mound because my
thing was, I feel that if we can get our
(05:50):
neighborhoods back aligned, then we can get the resources that
these neighborhoods need to have good schools or great schools
to have good Liverpool conditions, and they have just a
good way of life for Shelby Countings. And we chose
Orange Mound because it was historic and you know a
lot of things come from Orange Mound and believe it
or not, staying Uh, the New York Times came down
(06:11):
here and interviewed me because they found out what we
were trying to do it and they tried to compare
the two Orange Mound with Harlem how it was being
you know, revitalized. And I'm still gonna work on that today.
That's gonna that's gonna be in my back pocket. And
I still that's what I want to do to see
what I can come up with a model of how
we can you know, re establish you know, our neighborhood,
especially in our neighborhoods that are that are that are distressed.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So what let me ask you, assessor Burgers, So what
are the what are your concerns at this point when
I know you get a thousand emails every other day
and are they concerned about appraisal values or taxes or what?
In other words, what are the citizens? What are the
cisions r I said, like that or your customers or
(06:56):
property owners?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
What's that? Gright?
Speaker 6 (06:58):
Yes, that's a good question, and I think a lot
of it. You hit it right on the head. Of course,
when you you know, when we do a real appraisal,
the last one was done in twenty twenty one, and
we do it.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
It's every four years.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
And when people get that notice in the mail, the
first thing they think about, well, oh my god, my
house note is gonna go up. That's not necessarily true,
or my property taxes. As the assessor and present state law,
that's the only revenue that you know, that we realize
that the state realized to run these municipalities.
Speaker 8 (07:25):
Anything.
Speaker 6 (07:26):
Stand, you see, own property has to come through our office,
home depot, Walgreens, wolf Chase, it comes through our office.
So that's the only way that the county can pay
for its expenses, you know, to help run these counties.
That's unfortunate, but that's just the way that's that's the law.
But it's my job to identify, classify and make sure
(07:46):
that properties not just commercial, not just personal property or
real property, but also residential, to ensure that it is
located and is.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Done equably for everyone. So that's the key.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
And but what people don't don't realize, uh stand, is
that when we do do a real appraisal, period. We
cannot make a profit off or windfall off the real appraisal.
So what happens is is when we send the notices out,
now you can appeal it.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Stand.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
We want you to appeal it, and that's on the notice.
You know, we can't get every property right. You're talking
about three hundred six one thousand parcels that's residential. You know,
we know we can't get it right. That's why I
was pushing for in twenty nineteen STAND a two year
real appraisal so we can do more frequent real appraisal
and get it right right. So that's why we want
to do more frequencs instead of waiting four years and
(08:36):
all of a sudden, now when I send out this
these notices, now you got a shocker now because it's
four years. So why not split it up and just
do the first two years in the last two years.
So that's why I was trying to push that. But
turn it out there.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
So who do we contact? If you want to appeal?
You contact your direct website.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
It's a website and the website is www dot Assessor
Melvinburgess dot com. And also you can call our office
at two to two seven thousand and one, say it again,
please two to two seven thousand and one. We have
a strong, robust call center that I have staff for
(09:15):
strictly but number of the praisers and we're ready. In
twenty twenty one, stand we had, we've had, we had
the less calls doing a real praiseprict that has ever happened.
So I'm ready, We're ready, and I'm here to help you.
This assessor is here to help you all home buyers
or homeowners when it comes to that assessment that we
sent out, I promise you we're here for you, and
(09:35):
maybe we can't make some changes then maybe not, but
we're here to help you.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So we're talking to Melvin Burgess Junior. Or is the second?
It's the second, it's the second. There's the difference, right,
daddy difference, daddy difference right. And mister Burges is an
expert and I don't use that term likely he's and
he should be an expert.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Hes got a lot of responsibility.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
He determines the appropriate valuation of an asset or property,
often for purposes of taxation, and that's pretty much the
purpose of an assessor. He does a lot of monitor
team what about construction, you do that as well?
Speaker 6 (10:11):
Do we do new construction also stand? And also some
of the when I got there in twenty twenty one,
stand a lot of those areas were not really being
looked at because we didn't have the staff. And I
think we talked about earlier. When I got there, I
only had thirty four praisers, right, So per the Tennessee
Code annotated it says I should have one appraiser per
every twenty five hundred parcels.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
So that means I suppose have had eighty four praisers.
Speaker 6 (10:34):
So and let me know, when I got in that
a lot of the pressure was being put on the
backs of the residential And that's when I came up
with the program, a career out of program to grow
more appraisers. So now we have a total of maybe
fifty appraisers. Now, who is your predecessor in the office?
Who was our former? The former was Shan Johnson? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
(10:56):
and no doubt she did a great job.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And I guess the person who succeeds, you know, that
person taking up another level, take it up.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Not that's right then? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Yeah, so far you doing for the good job. Now
I got I in my mailbox. We got if we
got with the fly to brochure, the what do you
call the PEMP something? You had your face on that thing,
that's right, I said that bunch. But I flipped it
over and I saw them number. I said, ooh, I
need to make a follow No, I'm just I'm just saying.
But for those who are listening, For those who are listening,
(11:26):
man who are concerned about your appraisal value, your property value,
your assessment, if you will that kind of thing, you
feel free to call the number that mister Burges is
just announced and you can call us right now, by
the way, if you have a question, comment, something you
want to ask of property assessor. Melvin Birgers is nine
on one as you know, five three five, nine three
four two eight hundred five zero three nine three four
(11:48):
two or eight three three five three five nine three
four two. Now, while you're calling those numbers, you got
somebody over here to your left right now, and I noticed. No,
you know you didn't come solo, but I've watched you.
You bring in young folk that's right to assist and
get that take on stuff. So talk to us about
this young man over it till you left it. I'll
let him talk a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, stand up.
Speaker 6 (12:08):
Really, he was introduced to me by my wife. My
wife was working for the city. I think he was
interning for her on my second year, on my second
term on the county Commission. Then after that his internship
was over with the city with my wife, he came
over with me and he was my assistant. He's been
with me ever since. I mean, if you don't have
a millennial on your staff, you're in trouble. I have
(12:32):
no phone problems. Stand I have no I t problem.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Now.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
You can't tell him every you can't tell him nothing.
But I mean, this young man is very talented. And
really he was really one of the main instruments or
my reasoning for winning my race as the propertyssessor. He
was on the ground running, So I don't know what
I'd do without him. I called him my son I
never had because I got two girls. So he's kind
of like my son never had.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, and to give us his name, and then we
were swinging, Michael, Well, he's guys own Mica.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
His name is George Boyington.
Speaker 8 (12:59):
George, George George, Yes, sir, very glad to be here
talk to us about your role with property Assessor Burges.
Speaker 7 (13:10):
Oh, yes, sir, so, I provide direct support to the assessor,
and I oversee his government affairs portfolio with the seven
municipalities in Shelby County County government and the state and
federal portfolio which includes the division of property assessments, the
Tennessee General Assembly. And right now, just there's a lot
going on with our reappraisal year and all those kind
(13:31):
of things like that.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Man, sure's a lot going on. And just about tell
us walk us through a day in the life of
George Bornington. When you get up and you do you
report directly to the assessor, or do you work from home,
or you already have a slate, you have an agenda
of work you got to get.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Done all the above. It depends on the day.
Speaker 7 (13:52):
So some days I definitely am across the state dealing
with the Tennessee Assessors Association, or that's the other assessor
in i be four other counties or the various offices
in Nashville. The days that I'm here, I'm making sure
that Assessor Burchase is briefed and ready to perform constituent
engagements and things like that. And then he's aware of
(14:13):
what's going on across like because his office deals with
everything and everybody, so he's got a lot of information
to take in, and we make sure that he's ready to.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Engage all the people he needs engage.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
So I take it you were You probably went up
to Davidson Counta not long ago. Did they have like
an assessor's conference or something dealing with all of the
counties in the state, trying to get that take on
what's going on and how they can better it for
the citizens.
Speaker 7 (14:37):
Yeah, they do that pretty regularly. And one of the
things that Assessor Burgess was able to do through that conference,
he was able to chair the Assessors Policy Committee, and
in that we tried to work with other assessors to
see kind of some of the things that they wish
they could do but may have had some pushback for doing,
(14:57):
but really needed to do. One of them was two
year real appraisal and Assessor Burgess really fought hard against
a division of property assessments and a state legislature that
was adverse to it. The counties in Shelby they wanted
the status quo because they didn't understand the ways in
which that would help them a lot of outreach was done.
(15:18):
We've got the City of Memphis and Mayor Paul Young
behind it. Now we've got all ninety five assessors. The
Tennessee Comptroller even tried to advance a bill with Assessor
Burgess to make sure that more frequent appraisals across the
state were possible. That's an innovation that happens in every
other city across the nation of any real size or scope.
(15:41):
And Assessor Burgess said, why do I have to give
you these thirty percent values increases when if the market shifts,
I can give you smaller increases, more frequent opportunities to
match the actual market cycle. Let you know what your
equity is. He can be a more frequent resource and help.
So that's just one major groundbreaking example.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Man, So you've been hearing a George boy ing Ton
who works closely with mister Burgess. Man, we're gonna take
career break, gonna take the phone calls, and we're lighting
up like a halo this morning on these phone lines.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
So we definitely want you to call in whatever you want.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
You know, talk about what if you got some comments positive, negative,
it doesn't matter if you want to know, really want
to know what's going on with your property and the
assessment and the appraisal and all that. Now is the
time to communicate with my special guests. We're talking to
Minister Melvin Burgess, the second Property Assessor of Shelby County.
Let me go right to the phone line and find
out what's going on here. Let's let's go here. Good morning,
(16:38):
you're in the radio. Who goes there?
Speaker 7 (16:39):
Ye?
Speaker 9 (16:41):
Staying?
Speaker 10 (16:41):
Bell serving, whale pushing?
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Don't find Jackson? The action for your satisfaction? What have
you to say this morning.
Speaker 10 (16:49):
Doctor Burgess?
Speaker 9 (16:50):
And your assistant?
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Good morning, you're upgraded to me the doctor.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Now, okay, assess doctor.
Speaker 10 (17:02):
Hey uh, doctor Burgess. If let me ask you a
couple of questions, I'll let you go first. I'm I'm
kind of disappointed my property went up because I don't
plan on selling, so you know, but here has in
here there. But let me ask you a question. I've
always wanted this, and I'll let you go. You got
(17:22):
you got two houses. Okay, they're the same scread feet,
same floor plan, same yard. They're both quiet neighborhoods. But
you got one in the rains and Neely area. That's
a phrase for one hundred and fifty thousand, but you
got that same house in the popular corridor area. But
(17:46):
it's a phrase for three ninety fifty thousand, same house,
same squad foot and everything.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I've always wondered about that. If you could enlighten me,
got you. Thank you, Jason. All right, Miss Virgins.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
So what we do stand is our appraisers. They we
have what you call regions, and the regions are one
through six, and in some regions they take comps. So
it can go so many miles to you know, comping
where you stay. They can compare it to other neighborhoods.
(18:25):
It's like you can't compare Walnert Grove, East Memphis to
a neighborhood in North Memphis. It don't work like that, right,
So they do go outside and they try to find
homes within that region that they can comp which is
the same size, maybe not amenities, but the same size,
same square footage. And also we go on a report
(18:46):
called the Channel Report. When I say that, I think
some people go on zillo and go to other publications
to see what their values are. But what I encourage
the young man who just called me to do is
this call our office at two two two seven thousand
and one, or you can go to www dot Assessormelvinburgs
(19:08):
dot com. And the reason I say this is because
we have over three hundred and sixty nine thousand parcels
and sometimes we don't get it right. And that's why
I encourage every property owner to contact our call center
and we are ready and we are prepared. And I'm
glad you did call because maybe you know what you
probably are right because we can't get it all right.
(19:31):
Remember we talked about why I want it to have
more frequent real appraisers appraisals, because so we can get
it right. That's my job to make sure that it's
done equably. So please call our office and we can.
You can set you up an appointment and we'll ask
you for information and maybe this is something that we
can help you with when it comes to that real appraisal.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Notice it just sent out.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Thank Jacks for calling. Thank you mister Burgers. Let's go
back to another phone call. Don't do theagon morning on
the radio, your turn.
Speaker 11 (19:57):
Thanks a waiting, good go to everybody, and I'm so
glad that you guys made is in there safely.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
Good morning to you saying and now I want.
Speaker 11 (20:05):
To tell you how congratulations staying to your son, you know,
doing a great job. You know, I know you and
your wife call us so half and proud. You know,
can't bring to your eyes and your children doing so great.
I told you, young man, you know I was listening
to you. I never mentioned but you sound.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Like your father.
Speaker 12 (20:19):
You know.
Speaker 11 (20:20):
I don't know what you look like, but I know
you sound like a thing about it. You know, it's
great when you follow your father's stuff up footstep, you know,
and become successful. I just want to congratulate both of
you guys, whoever whoever in there saying, I mean Lims Verders.
Let me ask you a questions, you know, uh with
property you know and uh, you know something like when
(20:40):
Jack was saying, you know when you have probably let
me say, now you have someone come out.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
And praise your property right and they give.
Speaker 11 (20:47):
You one phrase and then you call downtown to the city.
You know, you're hoping that they give you maybe the
right of praise because you're thinking that you know, this
is a city man they've been keeping up with they know,
you know, because I think let me ask you a question,
do they come out and look at your property.
Speaker 13 (21:05):
How often do.
Speaker 11 (21:06):
They come over there to look at your problem? Can
you tell me that requick?
Speaker 14 (21:09):
How often do they?
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Is it every year?
Speaker 6 (21:11):
Well, we're during the real appraisal period. You know, we
can't look at every last property. What we would do
is we sometime we look at publications and sometimes we
got what you call gis where we can look at
your property up in the in the in the air,
where we can look at it that way. But if
you have any issues, you know, I mean, you tell me,
that's a lot of properties we'd have to We can't
look at every last one. However, like I told the
(21:34):
young man on the last call, please call our office
if we will come out there and give you a
you know, maybe a reassessment to see if we are
on track as far as our numbers. Now remember this,
you know what we send out uh, as far as
the real appraisal piece, it goes all sheap the countings
including Memphis also, so it's Memphis R and Lakeland, all
(21:56):
the municipalities. So and of course you know Memphis one
of the municipalitis of the county. So what we do
in the real praise so that's for everybody.
Speaker 11 (22:04):
You know, what I think I think it.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I'm sorry, go ahead, I'm sorry ahead.
Speaker 11 (22:08):
I'm thinking it's it's the h I'm thinking it's the
like if you staff mess.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
No, it's a difference. I think you. I know you
may not want to say it.
Speaker 11 (22:16):
I'm saying so you uh, I think it's a difference.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 11 (22:19):
Because you know, who want to come out Curve house?
Speaker 3 (22:21):
What your house looks like?
Speaker 11 (22:23):
If you over in the bass fire over there, but
they class shooting it over there and on I mean
aust Mawn getting bad. They got great houses over here,
but who wants to live where they crime?
Speaker 10 (22:31):
Crime?
Speaker 11 (22:32):
And so you're trying to get the crime down in
some of these people, all these beautiful houses, but it's
bad all.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Over messis now, you know. And let me say it.
Speaker 13 (22:38):
Let me get out thread in on our side talking.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
I can't stop saying.
Speaker 11 (22:41):
Let me say happy birthday on yesterday, my sister, love
her so much, Barbara Tool coming from a low George
police be safe here all sisterday on today. I love
them so much, my brother Marcus Cooper and little rock
Off and so I'm tomorrow my other baby brother Tyron
rand there love them so much.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
We love you so much to see this weekend.
Speaker 11 (22:57):
Saying I hope you grasp the careful this.
Speaker 9 (22:58):
We can't think to say, miss talk, you're making a.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Lady p We're talking with the assessor of property is
Shelby Counton. When we come back after the break, let's
talk about you how closely you work with the Shelby
County Trustee, Regina Morrison Newman.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
She's on bed show quite often.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
And I want to want to know what every relationship
is about also, and what are the obligations of an assessor?
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Be right back and welcome back everybody.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
You know, Property Assessor Melvin Burgess is in the building
part of our stand Special People Spotlight. You know, I've
often wondered, mister Burgess, how do you adapt? I guess
that would be the word. When you leave one office
in the county, you're form a Shelby County Commissioner, right,
and then you transition to another elected position elected official?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Would are you considered elected official? Elected official? Okay, so
you're the assessor. So how do you make that transition?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
How do you start learning about obligations and you know
coder conduct? You know you leave, Is it similar to
like being on the commission and you go to this
whole new I don't know, is it like a whole
new era, a new uh a place of responsibility? Well yeah,
how in other words, I guess I'm asking your mandatory
(24:07):
You got to.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
Have mandatory training, right, that's right? And you know what's
staying on the county commission. You see the big overview
of county government. Right even though you as an elected
who is elected to the positions like myself the trustee,
even though we are separate, it still falls up under
that county the regime county government. So like in my
office now, uh, the County Commission, we approve or we
(24:28):
nominate the border utilization and those are the people who
go you take your case to appeal your sent of
that sent out. So we elect those people or we
nominate those people on that county board.
Speaker 10 (24:40):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (24:40):
The second thing is is that or the main thing
stand is that you work for the people, regardless regardless
of what your role is like where I am, like,
I think you're going to probably bring it up that
one of my quotations is we value people for a
property regardless. You know, the constituents are my concern like
right now as we speak, that evaluation I sent you
(25:02):
out the people that are listening. It's my dueo or
is my job to make sure you understand that it
is correct.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
We didn't. We didn't areas.
Speaker 6 (25:15):
They're areas. And it's six altogether. We had one, two
and three, four, five and six. So I'm three, one,
two five, that's what we're doing by regions, regions by
so it's one through six. We got six regions and
we split them up as far as how we send
them out. So, uh, knowing that you know, as the assessor,
what can I do to help the homeowner? Because I
(25:37):
still feel today that a lot of pressure is still
on the homeowner and that's something. Of course, I'll be
gone in twenty six, but I'm hoping. I'm not hoping,
but I'm putting a succession plan to continue the work
to make sure that the homeowner is not burden you
know what when it comes to assessments and property taxes.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
With that being said, let's go to our fault line.
I got a few folks waiting here. Let's go here.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Uh, let me go the I are you there? You're
the radio? Yeah, maybe I need to click on I
guess I did click on right? The I good morning.
Are you there? Call it? Yeah, yeah, tag you're it?
Uh radio?
Speaker 15 (26:13):
Okay, yeah, good morning, good morning, coming man, yeah, good morning,
come all right, yeah, good morning.
Speaker 9 (26:18):
Must burgs into your assistant. Good morning, all right.
Speaker 15 (26:22):
I noticed in your last call with Lady Pete. I
noticed that you said sometimes you're all uh assaists from
the air, so you're not doing homes individually.
Speaker 9 (26:33):
So even from the air, how you you know, getting
your assessment done?
Speaker 15 (26:40):
So when we do not not not I'm sorry, So
they're not done the individually, even from the.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Air, right.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
So so for the most part, that is one of
the twos that we do use to determine, you know,
what your square footage is, and we can look on
the outside and we can do the square footage piece.
Now of course we can't go inside your house, but
we look, but we take an area with you and
you know how you can go online. Now you can
go to Zilo and how they can you know, you
can look at your house from you know, as it
(27:08):
looks currently. So that is one of the processes that
we use. And also we use what you call a
report that we get on all real estate. And also
we get publications through mar which is the Memphis Area
of Social Relators. So you know, we have, you know,
a lot of information to determine you know, uh, you
know what your value is. You know, you know what
(27:29):
it is or what it could possibly be or if
we're correct or not. But if you feel that we
are not correct, uh, I want you please to call
my call our call center and we are ready if
you feel that. You know that there are some errors
because some you know, we make aras. That's a lot
of properties that we have to look at it. And
that's why I was telling Stan they are earlier there.
That's why I was trying to push to god, you
(27:50):
know that two year real appraisal. So we can get
it right. But we can't get it right if we
don't hear from you, you know. And I'm glad you're
being responsive as a home owner and say, hey, you
know what, I don't think this is right, but you
know what, come see us so so you can appeal it. Man,
we can appeal it and we can help you with it.
And that's what I'm here for to help you with
that appraisal. Take that that worked for you.
Speaker 15 (28:11):
Yeah, one last question if I can I don't know
if they the true to the fact that say the
home outdoors.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Over the condition of that home may affect my home.
Speaker 9 (28:26):
Here in the assessment, you're exactly.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
Right, but guess what, we don't know that until you
come and tell us. We don't know that you're exactly right.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Or property.
Speaker 15 (28:37):
I'm sorry that's not evaluated it when you're doing your assessment.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
No, because we don't know.
Speaker 6 (28:42):
That's why I'm urging all the taxpayers that are listing
now please come tell us and come talk to us
so we'll know.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Like we've had some.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
Cases where on that same street or within the area
we got blighted property, or we got a couple of
houses that was burned down. We take that into consideration.
But guess what, we don't know until you come see
us and tell us. We don't know that we don't know.
But I want you to know that our office is
a great tool and we are ready. We ain't gonna
have no long lines, and we have to go out
in different locations, which my assistant Georgia's gone out and
(29:12):
talked to some of the municipalities on some of the
locations that we can set up and I'm planning on
having a setup. I've spoken with Carolyn Champion with Champions Pharmacy,
maybe having some on a Saturday where if you want
to come out and appeal it there at that site,
I'm gonna have somebody on site along with food, fun
and I'm gonna ask stan Ball will he.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Come and do it live for me?
Speaker 6 (29:31):
So that's that's that's a possiblity. Yeah, that we're gonna
do that. But but my main objective is to make
sure that you all are taking care of residential my constituents.
But I'm here to help you. And that's a good question.
I'm glad you said that so other people would know.
Just come see us and we're ready. We're ready for you.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Thank you, come man. I appreciate you.
Speaker 10 (29:49):
Man.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
All right, back to the fall lines. Tell me a
good morning. Thanks for calling you on the radio.
Speaker 16 (29:53):
Hey doing today?
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Thank you so much. Who goes there? I got a
call screen off. Just want to hear I like a
surprise her. Now there, this is normal, okay.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
County you.
Speaker 16 (30:08):
Yeah, oh yeah, I questioned about Uh, I got my
assessment for my property.
Speaker 13 (30:17):
I have two properties and it's not due to October.
But and I haven't got I got that needed to
ask you that you may know to ask this because
I know something that I was a signal I can
be She said, I can only to your homestead. They
have homestead or one of the properties.
Speaker 14 (30:35):
But the one that they sent me for my payment
for my taxes is the the bigs one determined what
OO determines which one you pay?
Speaker 9 (30:47):
Is that.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
Anything but assessment of anything when it comes to the
collection of moneys or what you pay, that comes to
a trustee, which is Regina Newman. She's the banker for
the county. So you can go to her website and
you know what, even so you can call my office
and we can give the information too. To two seven
thousand and one.
Speaker 14 (31:07):
I'm in I'm in another.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
Okay, that's fine, but still what you can do.
Speaker 6 (31:13):
Still, but she's the one that handles all the revenue
that does collected and like when you talked about the homestead,
you know, the Homestead Act or whatever that comes through
her her office.
Speaker 16 (31:23):
Not yes, ma'am, okay, I thought you might. No, I'll
probably just shake it, go down in the office and
check it out.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Anyway, who is yours? Jonesborough, who's your assessor that in
Cricket Accounty? You know off top you know what I
don't have to be.
Speaker 16 (31:41):
I don't know what I'm ting my hand and I
really don't know.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Hopefully you can relay over it to that person. Back
to the phone lines. W I one you in the radio.
Uh you're not working good? Oh, yes you're there.
Speaker 12 (31:57):
What you can do?
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I'm on that out sure.
Speaker 5 (32:02):
And my question is if if your property taxes is
covering this amount of square footage. Say, I'm gonna put
a ball ball figure out there, twelve hundred square feet.
But then you're trying to put a fist up, so
you call a privt They tell you to call a
private company to put a fence up. So you call
(32:25):
a private company to come out and put your fist up.
And they said that you only have a thousand square feet,
so but you're paying for twelve hundred square feet. So
why is there such a difference in the square footage?
Speaker 3 (32:40):
I tell you what the best thing to do on
something like that.
Speaker 6 (32:42):
You know, you're not the first person they ever asked this,
but you know, we do that aerial view and we
also look at you know, we got a mapping so
we got a mapping department, and we can tell you
where your boundary starting where they end. So won't you
do this once you call my office and and ask
that question, and I promise you we can get you
the right answer to tell.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
You why one is why one is one way and
one is the other.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
But now taking consideration, we have the actual aerial view
and the actual uh boundaries you know in our office
that we put online, you know, for your review. So
once you call my office, let's see how we can
compare the two and try to get that straighten out
because we have the actual we have the actual square
footage of your of your property.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Okay, so what's office? Yes, two to two uh seven
thousand and one, thousand and one, and look, and if
they don't.
Speaker 6 (33:37):
And if you don't get the help that you you
you should get the help because I got I got
a good call center. And if you feel that you're
not getting the help you call you can ask for
me and I make sure that we get that straighten out.
But you should shouldn't have no problem getting that taken care.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Of, all right, yea, I should appreciate that that's no problem.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Thank you, Penny, thank you. I come on the other radio,
who's next? Hey the morning, saying there George, good morning, fine, thank.
Speaker 9 (34:01):
You, good good, good, good good.
Speaker 12 (34:04):
Let me do a shout out right quick if you
don't man, first, let me say this every birthday to
Carolyn over in Lee Panther, Arkansas, to my cousin Craig,
and this deady tab mister Burgest. My beautiful cousin and
I were.
Speaker 9 (34:16):
At a restaurant once before.
Speaker 12 (34:17):
And I guess you saw us looking at you, and
she was looking at you. I told her that's a
married man.
Speaker 15 (34:24):
She said that's a good.
Speaker 9 (34:25):
Looking man, and we didn't want to interrupt your meal.
Speaker 12 (34:28):
However, you ever, then that saw us looking at you,
and you came over and introduced yourself.
Speaker 16 (34:34):
Of course I already knew who you were.
Speaker 9 (34:35):
She's a Proaridian, so she didn't know. But you were
very personal.
Speaker 12 (34:39):
You know, sometimes when you meet people of your status,
even though we're paying your salary, you want to be
a funny acting person. For lack of a better time
right now, but you came over and you spoke with us,
and I actuce you to my cousin, told.
Speaker 15 (34:53):
Her who you were, said successful, continue to be pleasant.
Speaker 9 (34:56):
We really really really appreciate that.
Speaker 12 (34:58):
And one last thing, which I know you have no
control over, I think it's terrible, terrible, terrible that when
you pay a home off you never own it. I
call it renting for a life.
Speaker 5 (35:09):
Have it done with Okay, and keep on being personable
with the people.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Okay, and thank you, thank you brother. I appreciate that.
All right, that's a good question, good comment. Arry got
to take a last break. Mart jolal mephis Am ten
seventy wd IA. Yeah, we're back, everybody. Thank you so
much for being here. It's a Friday morning, March twenty eight,
twenty twenty five. Thank you so much for being here.
Here stand special people, spotlight and we have all honors.
(35:35):
Our very special guest, Mister Melvin burg is the second
Shelby County Assessor of Property. This WI listener writes mister Burgess, staying,
would you please ask him if there's a certain age
as a senior citizen that you stop that you stop
having to pay property taxes.
Speaker 6 (35:54):
Stand, that's a great question, and that does not come
out of my purview. That follows up under Regina Newman,
who is the trustee. And I know if I try
to answer that, I know she might be listening, she
might get all over me. But just to call the
Trustees office. They can get all because I think also
not just that it's age, is disability. I think it's
(36:16):
an army vet if you're in the military. So it's
just you know, it's a it's a host of things
where you can get a moratorum on your on you
pay person U paying taxes, Yeah, George, Mike go on, Yeah.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (36:29):
That phone number is nine zero one to to to
zero two zero zero nine zero one two two to
zero two zero zero, And that's for tax relief, tax
freeze programs, and for questions regarding the text bills themselves.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
All right, Another question here from a w I A
listener on the email uh subject space property value. Why
can't you compare a house in North Memphis to a
house in East Memphis.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
Well, when you do an evaluation on a home, they
look at a lot of things. They look at, like
you said earlier, they look at access. Okay, what about
access to maws, access to different amenities such as restaurants
and just things that make your life a lot easier.
That's the difference. And also they look at you know,
(37:23):
where the majority of people where they reside, you know,
what's around them. Is it a is it bound by
a costcos or is it bound by a.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Home depot.
Speaker 6 (37:36):
Some of the messes that you see in East Memphis,
and that's the reason why some are though their properties.
You can't compare the two. Now, of course you can
get when you say North Memphis. I think that's what
they said. Now maybe you can get close to that
midtown area, you know where you know some of the
home they're still big, you know, some of the big
the larger, big homes. And also guess what they look
(37:58):
at they look at also the school. So you know,
it's like a family comes into town, you know where
you think the realtor realator will uh stir them, you know,
and we all know it's gonna be East Memphis. That's
where they That's what they're gonna take them to, East
Memphis because they feel that the amenities and the and
the way of life is out in East Memphis, which
is I'm gonna say it's unfortunate, but what can we
(38:19):
do to make sure that we keep our neighborhoods in
taxes were we can get some of the same values.
But really, in this last real praiser, we did everybody
values one of regardless where you were. North Memphis, South Memphis, Klondike, Uh,
New Chicago. It doesn't mean that it all went up,
maybe not as high, but they are they all saw
uh an increase in their values.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Okay, And another g I listener writes again about uh
the property value and all that property taxes? How can
they get a freeze on paying property taxes? That under
miss uh the trustees office? How how can they get
a freeze on paying property taxes? That is that it
all possible? Maybe that's also.
Speaker 7 (38:58):
Under Shelby Kundy trustee Regia Morrison Newman nine zero one
two two two zero two zero zero.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Thank you Dennis for that one. And let me take
another one.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Okay, So you'll necessarily might not have to be a
senior citizen to get this, you think, I know that's
for Regina, but but senior citizens possibly probably.
Speaker 7 (39:17):
Yes, a senior citizens, disabled veterans. And there are some
opportunities for homes in historic areas that we're also exploring.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Now, George Boyington, by the way, and governmental relations and
also assistant well he works in the assessor's office. We'll
take a one more call, and I think we're gonna go,
But I wanted to ask you, mister Burridges. Now you
mentioned about not necessarily Jones inspecting the house. I know
you can't get the property. And you mentioned something about
what GPS or get gis the's someone it all physically
(39:52):
come and visually inspectors that against against privacy or something.
Is anybody really comes and visually inspect to re evaluate
the property?
Speaker 6 (40:00):
We do we get something to come out. They come
out with their vests on. They come out with their
vests and uniform. Yeah, their uniform. So we do some
do come out and physically look at them.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Oh that's great. I want to know that as well.
Thanks for that, Jay Glenn. Also, there you go. I
think list and now let me segue if you will,
to x AI, if you don't mind, I want to
talk about all this artificial intelligence, the XAI mister Elon
Musk coming into Memphis, and I know he's been just
(40:30):
about everywhere across the United States and the need of
the world, but Memphis somehow has been drawn into the
relationship with Elon Musk in terms of XAI supercomputer and
all of that. The Property Assessor's office has a little
something to do with that as well. Are you at
the table or why would we why would your office
be up on this? In other words, you know, talk
(40:52):
to us about xai elon musk in relationship. I know
he's been to other cities trying to introduce, if you will,
the supercomputer and other things that he was to do,
and some did not embrace sure him.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Sure, but Memphis did. We did.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
So Sam wants you to know that you know, we uh,
you know, we put valuers on all real estate and
personal property, right so we know that we just received
boxes full and his office.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Was very cooperative.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
They brought to our office probably about fifty boxes of
personal property records and what that is would be like
some of the equipment that's that he has report that
they have reported x I have reported for personal property,
you know, identifications for us to tax. And I think
the last number I looked at was right in about
fourteen point five million dollars in personal property. That that
(41:37):
that this county will will you know, we'll see anytime
there's any economic incentives or based anything that's based on values.
We were at the table to make sure that she
Shelby County is getting their fair share of you know,
real estate as well as personal property. When I say
personal property. That's what's really located in his uh in
(41:58):
the building x AI building.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah, so so we so we've embraced mister Musk and
the Xai and the super computing and everything. Shelby County
plays in the significant part. Right, So what's happening with
that IKEA building?
Speaker 12 (42:11):
Do you know?
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Is that not a Keia bild?
Speaker 1 (42:14):
Is it was?
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (42:16):
I key?
Speaker 16 (42:16):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (42:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Do we the city of Memphis Shelby Kunty owns that building?
Is that the case, George? Or what building is that
now that we are I guess and we're renting or
mister Musk is renting to let me tell your mike
Now I care what building is that?
Speaker 3 (42:32):
It's Electrolux.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
Electro Lux, That's what I'm at. I'm sorry about that. Yeah,
electric LUXE talk to me about that processor?
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Yeah I was, I was. I couldn't. I couldn't put
my hands around that when I looked at George.
Speaker 6 (42:42):
Yeah right, So, so what happened was I know, when
I came on uh in twenty I was elected in
twenty eighteen. But in twenty nineteen, I think staying electro
Lux broke their powered agreement, right, and as of today,
the figure that I have I can Rememberumber is maybe
right at maybe between thirty four to thirty seven million
(43:03):
dollars if they owed its county the same building that.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
We gave.
Speaker 6 (43:09):
When I say we, the Edgeboard gave electric Lux, there
was no clawbacks in the contract, right, so therefore we
gave that building to electro Lux, that same building that
the electro Lux we gave electrical Lux, the same building
that x Ai is leasing from electro Lux with electric
Lux on this county for breaking their pilot over thirty
(43:32):
four million dollars.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
And when you say pilot, is that an acronym or
that's just that we're allowing them to come here without Yeah, So,
which is a good thing. You know, I'm not against pilots.
It's called it's payment in lieu of taxes. So we're
give incentives to companies to move here, you know, based
upon job creation, based upon how are they going to
boost Shelby County as far as its economic growth.
Speaker 6 (43:55):
So so we give them a taxi centem. And that's
how you know Citi's embrace, That's how city get companies
to come here, to give them a pilot, give them pallet.
So but my thing is, you know, we also got
to hold them accountable, you know, you know, when we
are giving out pilots to ensure that they're saying what
they're gonna do. Are they going to employ two hundred
shear of accountings, are they gonna are they gonna train?
(44:16):
Are they gonna say what they do?
Speaker 1 (44:18):
You know?
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Are they gonna do what they say?
Speaker 6 (44:19):
You know, because I don't think it's fair, you know,
to abate taxes for a company, but I don't wantbate
the text of these colleges that are coming in.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
It's not fair. I agree, I agree. All right, Well,
I think it's wrap it up.
Speaker 12 (44:33):
Man.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Many of the other questions we can definitely ask, but
I think you've answered quite a few before you before
you go. Is there anything else you want to put
out there in terms of your officer, property assessor and
things that look forward to or maybe that our that's
the constituents, if you will, as citizen Reed should be
on the lookout for from your office.
Speaker 6 (44:50):
Estan, thank you again, thank you for having us on
this you know, this morning. But what I want to
say is this to the constituents that put me in
this office. I've always worked for you and I will
continue to work for the constentus here in Shelby County.
And you know there are things out there that are
going on that you need to know because it's dealing
with you all. You know, I mean, what's your tax
with your personal with your property taxes? And you know
(45:12):
I need be more transparent and I want to keep
providing resources for you all to understand. You know, what
you can and what you do and what you what
you're doing, what you don't have. So I want to
I'm here for you when it comes to this new
real praisal that came out. You got to do is
call our office. I think we uh it was two
two two seven thousand and one or www dot assessor
(45:33):
Melvin Burgess dot com.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
We're here to help you.
Speaker 6 (45:36):
But if you don't call us like I think, like
the last caller talked about a couple of properties back,
you know, down the street from him where I think
it was blight or whatever the case might be. But see,
we don't know that because we have a lot of
properties to look at to evaluate. So please call our office.
We're here for you. This assessor is here for you
and to see what we can do to help you
with this real appraisal assessment that they came out, and
(45:57):
I worked hard trying to push the two year appraisal.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
But what I want you to know is this.
Speaker 6 (46:02):
You know, talk to your county commissioner and your city
councilman because they are going to set the new tax rate.
The tax rate is on the county statue three thirty nine.
The state will come in and the trustee's office will
also she will.
Speaker 3 (46:16):
Hold back up you said thirty nine cent.
Speaker 6 (46:22):
They're probably lord the tax rate because remember you can't
get a windfall or profit of three appraisal. They're probably
I'm just being hypothetically. I don't know what the exact
number would be. It might be two ninety. Well, whatever
it is, it's up to your county commissioner to determine
what your tax rate's gonna be. So that's going to
determine how much you pay in property taxes. I'm just
the assessor. All I do is assess the property. However,
(46:44):
we can help you on the assessment part. My office
can help you, and we want to help you. We
want you to appeal it. We want you to come
to us and see how we can help you before
you go to that border Equalization. Now I can't help
you if you bypass my office and go to the
Board of Equalization, It's nothing I can do. That's why
I'm encouraging all property owners please come see me. If
(47:05):
you are not happy with your assessment, we will be
We will be gladly to help you and assist you,
and I'm here for you. You know my again, you
know we value people over property. That's something I came
up with because I want you to know that. That's
why you all put me in this office to work
for you, and that's what I'm doing, working for the
constituency heionship we count.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
We've been talking with the Assessor property for Shelby County
and mister Melvin Burgess the second and of course in
the Office of Governmental Relations and in the Assessor's office,
mister George Boyington.
Speaker 10 (47:34):
He's on and popping.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
It's the Stan Belle Morning Show weekdates from six to
ten am on the Heart and Soul of Memphis ten
seventy WD I a
Memphis, Floring and Brad walking the walk and talking and talk.
It's the Stan Belle Morning Show, weekday mornings from six
to ten am on the heart and Soul of Memphis.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Ten seventy wd IA Welcome back. We're so glad that
you are here. You decide to stay with us, Man,
that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Yeah, it does. I was able to get our special
guests out of the green room. Baby.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
For some reason, folks don't want to come out to
the green room because we lay it out, you know,
we we got you know, little breakfast brunch mormosas, and
they don't want to come out to the green room, and
they I.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Guess they'd like the hospitality. Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Good morning inside the WDIA control room in the studios.
The Assessor of Property for Shelby County, mister Melvin Burgess
in the building. Get a micael on you, sir. Thanks Dan,
thanks for having me this morning. I really appreciate thanks
for the invitation.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
Man.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Man, look you're looking dap as usual.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thanks you that you, you know, showing love and covering
some time out of your business schedule, extremely business schedule,
saying assessors, officers to come people, A wdi you more
than welcome.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I gotta do you like I do all the rest
of my guests.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Let me start with family first and most important, how's
the family.
Speaker 6 (01:07):
Everybody's doing good. The girls are doing good. Of course,
one lives in New York, one lives in Atlanta, so
both are doing well. The wife is doing well. But
you know, I lost my mom about about three weeks
going March the third, So just trying to get through that,
but I know I get through it, and just keeping
God first and doing what I need to do to
move every day, and just making sure that my constituents
are up on these new values. That's because I know
(01:29):
it's a shocker. I know some of them are really
you know, trying to understand why it's so high. But
that's why I'm here, and that's why I'm glad you
invited me today so I can explain, you know, what
happened and how can we get that resolved or what
I need to do to help the constituency.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Aunty, We're going to get into that. I'm still on family.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
That bird that's okay, that birds name, Come on, now,
we can't just stop when we hear burges we think
about your daddy.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
That's right, I know, and Mama, I don't know that's right.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
But but but Daddy Burges, that's right, the former police director,
that's right. And the impact he had so many folk,
not only you talk to me if you could, very
good about some of these one on one conversations you
had that y'all had.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah, you know, one thing that was really uplifting.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
Of course, when I moved back to when I moved
back to Memphis from Denver, you know, me and my
dad were you know, re established our relationship. And but
what was really really lightning to me when not when
he died, but when he did die, right when I
was out in the community, you know, trying to take
care of my business. You'd be surprised umber of people
that walked up to me. First First of all, they said,
you look just like your dad, so they already know that.
(02:34):
And they would just say about some of the experiences
that they had with my father. Like I think one
of the young ladies she was at at the time,
easy Way, and she asked, my dad, Sarah, could you
tell me what are aroma vegetables? You know, you know
like and she said, your dad he kind of went off,
but it was in a good way.
Speaker 7 (02:52):
You know.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
He was like a he was hard talk, but he
was gentle, you know, and I just got so I
guess got so much of that and it really let
me under stand today, you know what he meant to
this community.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
And I still get it.
Speaker 6 (03:03):
You know, when I'm out and about that, people still say, hey, man,
one for your dad, I wouldn't have done this. Your
dad encouraged me to go back to school, or your
dad this and that. So you know, he's still it's
still ringing out here, the accomplishment that he did.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
And I am so proud of him.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, man, you know what you are spending the image
of them, that's what they said. I get that a
lot with my oldest boy. You look like him out.
Uh he's bit you out. But you know, and I
want to bring that about your father. Man is a
great man. You mentioned a gentle man. Well, a gentle
man is a gentleman. That's right, right, that's right. A
(03:37):
gentleman is a gentleman. And he did a lot of
things for a lot of people. I was speaking with
my friend Alex Coleman over at news Channel three. You know, Alex,
he said, stand, he inspired me. I admired him, you know,
talking about your daddy, and he had some conversations with
Melvin Burgess Senior and man and it inspired him and
he's inspired so many other young men too. So, Man,
(03:58):
I just want to thank you for even being able
to speak on that.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Thank you. I know it's still got to touch it
for you than it's been.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
How many years is twenty eighteen, twenty eighteen, so we're
talking about what seven years? Yeah, yeah, that's great. All right, So,
ladies and gentlemen of the audience, I've got the proper
property assessor of Chevy County in the building.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
We're gonna come back and talk a little bit more
with him.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Melvin Burgess, affectionate known as Butch on the radio, Dad
is that's where we are in Memphis, Tennessee. All right,
my special guests this morning on WDIA, Shelby County property Assessor, mister.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Melvin Burgess Junior.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Now, many of you may ask, well, Stan, what is
the duty or what are the duties of Shelby count Assessor.
I'm glad you, ass Now, I had to do a
little homework show prep. Of course, when I knew mister
Burgess was coming in just to make sure I was
on the right page identifying, classifying, and appraising all tax
(05:00):
property within the county, including real, personal and mixed property
to determine its market value for property tax purposes.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Am I in the house is more mic? Yes, so
so so far, so good, so far.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
And your role for local government is what I'm gonna
let you kind of tell us that you know, because
I know the assessor. Your primary role for local government
is what is that's the praise market value evolved?
Speaker 6 (05:28):
What same kind of same thing. That's the kind of
the same thing. That's my role stand for the Tennessee
Code anitay, which is the law. But I've done some
things outside of my purview, like I've had some We
did a lot of work with Orange Mound Revitalization where
we went in we formed the first inn d C,
which Neighborhood Deveopment Corporation over an Orange Mound because my
thing was, I feel that if we can get our
(05:50):
neighborhoods back aligned, then we can get the resources that
these neighborhoods need to have good schools or great schools
to have good Liverpool conditions, and they have just a
good way of life for Shelby Countings. And we chose
Orange Mound because it was historic and you know a
lot of things come from Orange Mound and believe it
or not, staying Uh, the New York Times came down
(06:11):
here and interviewed me because they found out what we
were trying to do it and they tried to compare
the two Orange Mound with Harlem how it was being
you know, revitalized. And I'm still gonna work on that today.
That's gonna that's gonna be in my back pocket. And
I still that's what I want to do to see
what I can come up with a model of how
we can you know, re establish you know, our neighborhood,
especially in our neighborhoods that are that are that are distressed.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So what let me ask you, assessor Burgers, So what
are the what are your concerns at this point when
I know you get a thousand emails every other day
and are they concerned about appraisal values or taxes or what?
In other words, what are the citizens? What are the
cisions r I said, like that or your customers or
(06:56):
property owners?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
What's that? Gright?
Speaker 6 (06:58):
Yes, that's a good question, and I think a lot
of it. You hit it right on the head. Of course,
when you you know, when we do a real appraisal,
the last one was done in twenty twenty one, and
we do it.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
It's every four years.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
And when people get that notice in the mail, the
first thing they think about, well, oh my god, my
house note is gonna go up. That's not necessarily true,
or my property taxes. As the assessor and present state law,
that's the only revenue that you know, that we realize
that the state realized to run these municipalities.
Speaker 8 (07:25):
Anything.
Speaker 6 (07:26):
Stand, you see, own property has to come through our office,
home depot, Walgreens, wolf Chase, it comes through our office.
So that's the only way that the county can pay
for its expenses, you know, to help run these counties.
That's unfortunate, but that's just the way that's that's the law.
But it's my job to identify, classify and make sure
(07:46):
that properties not just commercial, not just personal property or
real property, but also residential, to ensure that it is
located and is.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Done equably for everyone. So that's the key.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
And but what people don't don't realize, uh stand, is
that when we do do a real appraisal, period. We
cannot make a profit off or windfall off the real appraisal.
So what happens is is when we send the notices out,
now you can appeal it.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Stand.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
We want you to appeal it, and that's on the notice.
You know, we can't get every property right. You're talking
about three hundred six one thousand parcels that's residential. You know,
we know we can't get it right. That's why I
was pushing for in twenty nineteen STAND a two year
real appraisal so we can do more frequent real appraisal
and get it right right. So that's why we want
to do more frequencs instead of waiting four years and
(08:36):
all of a sudden, now when I send out this
these notices, now you got a shocker now because it's
four years. So why not split it up and just
do the first two years in the last two years.
So that's why I was trying to push that. But
turn it out there.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
So who do we contact? If you want to appeal?
You contact your direct website.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
It's a website and the website is www dot Assessor
Melvinburgess dot com. And also you can call our office
at two to two seven thousand and one, say it again,
please two to two seven thousand and one. We have
a strong, robust call center that I have staff for
(09:15):
strictly but number of the praisers and we're ready. In
twenty twenty one, stand we had, we've had, we had
the less calls doing a real praiseprict that has ever happened.
So I'm ready, We're ready, and I'm here to help you.
This assessor is here to help you all home buyers
or homeowners when it comes to that assessment that we
sent out, I promise you we're here for you, and
(09:35):
maybe we can't make some changes then maybe not, but
we're here to help you.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So we're talking to Melvin Burgess Junior. Or is the second?
It's the second, it's the second. There's the difference, right,
daddy difference, daddy difference right. And mister Burges is an
expert and I don't use that term likely he's and
he should be an expert.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Hes got a lot of responsibility.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
He determines the appropriate valuation of an asset or property,
often for purposes of taxation, and that's pretty much the
purpose of an assessor. He does a lot of monitor
team what about construction, you do that as well?
Speaker 6 (10:11):
Do we do new construction also stand? And also some
of the when I got there in twenty twenty one,
stand a lot of those areas were not really being
looked at because we didn't have the staff. And I
think we talked about earlier. When I got there, I
only had thirty four praisers, right, So per the Tennessee
Code annotated it says I should have one appraiser per
every twenty five hundred parcels.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
So that means I suppose have had eighty four praisers.
Speaker 6 (10:34):
So and let me know, when I got in that
a lot of the pressure was being put on the
backs of the residential And that's when I came up
with the program, a career out of program to grow
more appraisers. So now we have a total of maybe
fifty appraisers. Now, who is your predecessor in the office?
Who was our former? The former was Shan Johnson? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
(10:56):
and no doubt she did a great job.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And I guess the person who succeeds, you know, that
person taking up another level, take it up.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Not that's right then? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Yeah, so far you doing for the good job. Now
I got I in my mailbox. We got if we
got with the fly to brochure, the what do you
call the PEMP something? You had your face on that thing,
that's right, I said that bunch. But I flipped it
over and I saw them number. I said, ooh, I
need to make a follow No, I'm just I'm just saying.
But for those who are listening, For those who are listening,
(11:26):
man who are concerned about your appraisal value, your property value,
your assessment, if you will that kind of thing, you
feel free to call the number that mister Burges is
just announced and you can call us right now, by
the way, if you have a question, comment, something you
want to ask of property assessor. Melvin Birgers is nine
on one as you know, five three five, nine three
four two eight hundred five zero three nine three four
(11:48):
two or eight three three five three five nine three
four two. Now, while you're calling those numbers, you got
somebody over here to your left right now, and I noticed. No,
you know you didn't come solo, but I've watched you.
You bring in young folk that's right to assist and
get that take on stuff. So talk to us about
this young man over it till you left it. I'll
let him talk a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, stand up.
Speaker 6 (12:08):
Really, he was introduced to me by my wife. My
wife was working for the city. I think he was
interning for her on my second year, on my second
term on the county Commission. Then after that his internship
was over with the city with my wife, he came
over with me and he was my assistant. He's been
with me ever since. I mean, if you don't have
a millennial on your staff, you're in trouble. I have
(12:32):
no phone problems. Stand I have no I t problem.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Now.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
You can't tell him every you can't tell him nothing.
But I mean, this young man is very talented. And
really he was really one of the main instruments or
my reasoning for winning my race as the propertyssessor. He
was on the ground running, So I don't know what
I'd do without him. I called him my son I
never had because I got two girls. So he's kind
of like my son never had.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, and to give us his name, and then we
were swinging, Michael, Well, he's guys own Mica.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
His name is George Boyington.
Speaker 8 (12:59):
George, George George, Yes, sir, very glad to be here
talk to us about your role with property Assessor Burges.
Speaker 7 (13:10):
Oh, yes, sir, so, I provide direct support to the assessor,
and I oversee his government affairs portfolio with the seven
municipalities in Shelby County County government and the state and
federal portfolio which includes the division of property assessments, the
Tennessee General Assembly. And right now, just there's a lot
going on with our reappraisal year and all those kind
(13:31):
of things like that.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Man, sure's a lot going on. And just about tell
us walk us through a day in the life of
George Bornington. When you get up and you do you
report directly to the assessor, or do you work from home,
or you already have a slate, you have an agenda
of work you got to get.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Done all the above. It depends on the day.
Speaker 7 (13:52):
So some days I definitely am across the state dealing
with the Tennessee Assessors Association, or that's the other assessor
in i be four other counties or the various offices
in Nashville. The days that I'm here, I'm making sure
that Assessor Burchase is briefed and ready to perform constituent
engagements and things like that. And then he's aware of
(14:13):
what's going on across like because his office deals with
everything and everybody, so he's got a lot of information
to take in, and we make sure that he's ready to.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Engage all the people he needs engage.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
So I take it you were You probably went up
to Davidson Counta not long ago. Did they have like
an assessor's conference or something dealing with all of the
counties in the state, trying to get that take on
what's going on and how they can better it for
the citizens.
Speaker 7 (14:37):
Yeah, they do that pretty regularly. And one of the
things that Assessor Burgess was able to do through that conference,
he was able to chair the Assessors Policy Committee, and
in that we tried to work with other assessors to
see kind of some of the things that they wish
they could do but may have had some pushback for doing,
(14:57):
but really needed to do. One of them was two
year real appraisal and Assessor Burgess really fought hard against
a division of property assessments and a state legislature that
was adverse to it. The counties in Shelby they wanted
the status quo because they didn't understand the ways in
which that would help them a lot of outreach was done.
(15:18):
We've got the City of Memphis and Mayor Paul Young
behind it. Now we've got all ninety five assessors. The
Tennessee Comptroller even tried to advance a bill with Assessor
Burgess to make sure that more frequent appraisals across the
state were possible. That's an innovation that happens in every
other city across the nation of any real size or scope.
(15:41):
And Assessor Burgess said, why do I have to give
you these thirty percent values increases when if the market shifts,
I can give you smaller increases, more frequent opportunities to
match the actual market cycle. Let you know what your
equity is. He can be a more frequent resource and help.
So that's just one major groundbreaking example.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Man, So you've been hearing a George boy ing Ton
who works closely with mister Burgess. Man, we're gonna take
career break, gonna take the phone calls, and we're lighting
up like a halo this morning on these phone lines.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
So we definitely want you to call in whatever you want.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
You know, talk about what if you got some comments positive, negative,
it doesn't matter if you want to know, really want
to know what's going on with your property and the
assessment and the appraisal and all that. Now is the
time to communicate with my special guests. We're talking to
Minister Melvin Burgess, the second Property Assessor of Shelby County.
Let me go right to the phone line and find
out what's going on here. Let's let's go here. Good morning,
(16:38):
you're in the radio. Who goes there?
Speaker 7 (16:39):
Ye?
Speaker 9 (16:41):
Staying?
Speaker 10 (16:41):
Bell serving, whale pushing?
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Don't find Jackson? The action for your satisfaction? What have
you to say this morning.
Speaker 10 (16:49):
Doctor Burgess?
Speaker 9 (16:50):
And your assistant?
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Good morning, you're upgraded to me the doctor.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Now, okay, assess doctor.
Speaker 10 (17:02):
Hey uh, doctor Burgess. If let me ask you a
couple of questions, I'll let you go first. I'm I'm
kind of disappointed my property went up because I don't
plan on selling, so you know, but here has in
here there. But let me ask you a question. I've
always wanted this, and I'll let you go. You got
(17:22):
you got two houses. Okay, they're the same scread feet,
same floor plan, same yard. They're both quiet neighborhoods. But
you got one in the rains and Neely area. That's
a phrase for one hundred and fifty thousand, but you
got that same house in the popular corridor area. But
(17:46):
it's a phrase for three ninety fifty thousand, same house,
same squad foot and everything.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I've always wondered about that. If you could enlighten me,
got you. Thank you, Jason. All right, Miss Virgins.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
So what we do stand is our appraisers. They we
have what you call regions, and the regions are one
through six, and in some regions they take comps. So
it can go so many miles to you know, comping
where you stay. They can compare it to other neighborhoods.
(18:25):
It's like you can't compare Walnert Grove, East Memphis to
a neighborhood in North Memphis. It don't work like that, right,
So they do go outside and they try to find
homes within that region that they can comp which is
the same size, maybe not amenities, but the same size,
same square footage. And also we go on a report
(18:46):
called the Channel Report. When I say that, I think
some people go on zillo and go to other publications
to see what their values are. But what I encourage
the young man who just called me to do is
this call our office at two two two seven thousand
and one, or you can go to www dot Assessormelvinburgs
(19:08):
dot com. And the reason I say this is because
we have over three hundred and sixty nine thousand parcels
and sometimes we don't get it right. And that's why
I encourage every property owner to contact our call center
and we are ready and we are prepared. And I'm
glad you did call because maybe you know what you
probably are right because we can't get it all right.
(19:31):
Remember we talked about why I want it to have
more frequent real appraisers appraisals, because so we can get
it right. That's my job to make sure that it's
done equably. So please call our office and we can.
You can set you up an appointment and we'll ask
you for information and maybe this is something that we
can help you with when it comes to that real appraisal.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Notice it just sent out.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Thank Jacks for calling. Thank you mister Burgers. Let's go
back to another phone call. Don't do theagon morning on
the radio, your turn.
Speaker 11 (19:57):
Thanks a waiting, good go to everybody, and I'm so
glad that you guys made is in there safely.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
Good morning to you saying and now I want.
Speaker 11 (20:05):
To tell you how congratulations staying to your son, you know,
doing a great job. You know, I know you and
your wife call us so half and proud. You know,
can't bring to your eyes and your children doing so great.
I told you, young man, you know I was listening
to you. I never mentioned but you sound.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Like your father.
Speaker 12 (20:19):
You know.
Speaker 11 (20:20):
I don't know what you look like, but I know
you sound like a thing about it. You know, it's
great when you follow your father's stuff up footstep, you know,
and become successful. I just want to congratulate both of
you guys, whoever whoever in there saying, I mean Lims Verders.
Let me ask you a questions, you know, uh with
property you know and uh, you know something like when
(20:40):
Jack was saying, you know when you have probably let
me say, now you have someone come out.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
And praise your property right and they give.
Speaker 11 (20:47):
You one phrase and then you call downtown to the city.
You know, you're hoping that they give you maybe the
right of praise because you're thinking that you know, this
is a city man they've been keeping up with they know,
you know, because I think let me ask you a question,
do they come out and look at your property.
Speaker 13 (21:05):
How often do.
Speaker 11 (21:06):
They come over there to look at your problem? Can
you tell me that requick?
Speaker 14 (21:09):
How often do they?
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Is it every year?
Speaker 6 (21:11):
Well, we're during the real appraisal period. You know, we
can't look at every last property. What we would do
is we sometime we look at publications and sometimes we
got what you call gis where we can look at
your property up in the in the in the air,
where we can look at it that way. But if
you have any issues, you know, I mean, you tell me,
that's a lot of properties we'd have to We can't
look at every last one. However, like I told the
(21:34):
young man on the last call, please call our office
if we will come out there and give you a
you know, maybe a reassessment to see if we are
on track as far as our numbers. Now remember this,
you know what we send out uh, as far as
the real appraisal piece, it goes all sheap the countings
including Memphis also, so it's Memphis R and Lakeland, all
(21:56):
the municipalities. So and of course you know Memphis one
of the municipalitis of the county. So what we do
in the real praise so that's for everybody.
Speaker 11 (22:04):
You know, what I think I think it.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I'm sorry, go ahead, I'm sorry ahead.
Speaker 11 (22:08):
I'm thinking it's it's the h I'm thinking it's the
like if you staff mess.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
No, it's a difference. I think you. I know you
may not want to say it.
Speaker 11 (22:16):
I'm saying so you uh, I think it's a difference.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 11 (22:19):
Because you know, who want to come out Curve house?
Speaker 3 (22:21):
What your house looks like?
Speaker 11 (22:23):
If you over in the bass fire over there, but
they class shooting it over there and on I mean
aust Mawn getting bad. They got great houses over here,
but who wants to live where they crime?
Speaker 10 (22:31):
Crime?
Speaker 11 (22:32):
And so you're trying to get the crime down in
some of these people, all these beautiful houses, but it's
bad all.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Over messis now, you know. And let me say it.
Speaker 13 (22:38):
Let me get out thread in on our side talking.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
I can't stop saying.
Speaker 11 (22:41):
Let me say happy birthday on yesterday, my sister, love
her so much, Barbara Tool coming from a low George
police be safe here all sisterday on today. I love
them so much, my brother Marcus Cooper and little rock
Off and so I'm tomorrow my other baby brother Tyron
rand there love them so much.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
We love you so much to see this weekend.
Speaker 11 (22:57):
Saying I hope you grasp the careful this.
Speaker 9 (22:58):
We can't think to say, miss talk, you're making a.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Lady p We're talking with the assessor of property is
Shelby Counton. When we come back after the break, let's
talk about you how closely you work with the Shelby
County Trustee, Regina Morrison Newman.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
She's on bed show quite often.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
And I want to want to know what every relationship
is about also, and what are the obligations of an assessor?
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Be right back and welcome back everybody.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
You know, Property Assessor Melvin Burgess is in the building
part of our stand Special People Spotlight. You know, I've
often wondered, mister Burgess, how do you adapt? I guess
that would be the word. When you leave one office
in the county, you're form a Shelby County Commissioner, right,
and then you transition to another elected position elected official?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Would are you considered elected official? Elected official? Okay, so
you're the assessor. So how do you make that transition?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
How do you start learning about obligations and you know
coder conduct? You know you leave, Is it similar to
like being on the commission and you go to this
whole new I don't know, is it like a whole
new era, a new uh a place of responsibility? Well yeah,
how in other words, I guess I'm asking your mandatory
(24:07):
You got to.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
Have mandatory training, right, that's right? And you know what's
staying on the county commission. You see the big overview
of county government. Right even though you as an elected
who is elected to the positions like myself the trustee,
even though we are separate, it still falls up under
that county the regime county government. So like in my
office now, uh, the County Commission, we approve or we
(24:28):
nominate the border utilization and those are the people who
go you take your case to appeal your sent of
that sent out. So we elect those people or we
nominate those people on that county board.
Speaker 10 (24:40):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (24:40):
The second thing is is that or the main thing
stand is that you work for the people, regardless regardless
of what your role is like where I am, like,
I think you're going to probably bring it up that
one of my quotations is we value people for a
property regardless. You know, the constituents are my concern like
right now as we speak, that evaluation I sent you
(25:02):
out the people that are listening. It's my dueo or
is my job to make sure you understand that it
is correct.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
We didn't. We didn't areas.
Speaker 6 (25:15):
They're areas. And it's six altogether. We had one, two
and three, four, five and six. So I'm three, one,
two five, that's what we're doing by regions, regions by
so it's one through six. We got six regions and
we split them up as far as how we send
them out. So, uh, knowing that you know, as the assessor,
what can I do to help the homeowner? Because I
(25:37):
still feel today that a lot of pressure is still
on the homeowner and that's something. Of course, I'll be
gone in twenty six, but I'm hoping. I'm not hoping,
but I'm putting a succession plan to continue the work
to make sure that the homeowner is not burden you
know what when it comes to assessments and property taxes.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
With that being said, let's go to our fault line.
I got a few folks waiting here. Let's go here.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Uh, let me go the I are you there? You're
the radio? Yeah, maybe I need to click on I
guess I did click on right? The I good morning.
Are you there? Call it? Yeah, yeah, tag you're it?
Uh radio?
Speaker 15 (26:13):
Okay, yeah, good morning, good morning, coming man, yeah, good morning,
come all right, yeah, good morning.
Speaker 9 (26:18):
Must burgs into your assistant. Good morning, all right.
Speaker 15 (26:22):
I noticed in your last call with Lady Pete. I
noticed that you said sometimes you're all uh assaists from
the air, so you're not doing homes individually.
Speaker 9 (26:33):
So even from the air, how you you know, getting
your assessment done?
Speaker 15 (26:40):
So when we do not not not I'm sorry, So
they're not done the individually, even from the.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Air, right.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
So so for the most part, that is one of
the twos that we do use to determine, you know,
what your square footage is, and we can look on
the outside and we can do the square footage piece.
Now of course we can't go inside your house, but
we look, but we take an area with you and
you know how you can go online. Now you can
go to Zilo and how they can you know, you
can look at your house from you know, as it
(27:08):
looks currently. So that is one of the processes that
we use. And also we use what you call a
report that we get on all real estate. And also
we get publications through mar which is the Memphis Area
of Social Relators. So you know, we have, you know,
a lot of information to determine you know, uh, you
know what your value is. You know, you know what
(27:29):
it is or what it could possibly be or if
we're correct or not. But if you feel that we
are not correct, uh, I want you please to call
my call our call center and we are ready if
you feel that. You know that there are some errors
because some you know, we make aras. That's a lot
of properties that we have to look at it. And
that's why I was telling Stan they are earlier there.
That's why I was trying to push to god, you
(27:50):
know that two year real appraisal. So we can get
it right. But we can't get it right if we
don't hear from you, you know. And I'm glad you're
being responsive as a home owner and say, hey, you
know what, I don't think this is right, but you
know what, come see us so so you can appeal it. Man,
we can appeal it and we can help you with it.
And that's what I'm here for to help you with
that appraisal. Take that that worked for you.
Speaker 15 (28:11):
Yeah, one last question if I can I don't know
if they the true to the fact that say the
home outdoors.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Over the condition of that home may affect my home.
Speaker 9 (28:26):
Here in the assessment, you're exactly.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
Right, but guess what, we don't know that until you
come and tell us. We don't know that you're exactly right.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Or property.
Speaker 15 (28:37):
I'm sorry that's not evaluated it when you're doing your assessment.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
No, because we don't know.
Speaker 6 (28:42):
That's why I'm urging all the taxpayers that are listing
now please come tell us and come talk to us
so we'll know.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Like we've had some.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
Cases where on that same street or within the area
we got blighted property, or we got a couple of
houses that was burned down. We take that into consideration.
But guess what, we don't know until you come see
us and tell us. We don't know that we don't know.
But I want you to know that our office is
a great tool and we are ready. We ain't gonna
have no long lines, and we have to go out
in different locations, which my assistant Georgia's gone out and
(29:12):
talked to some of the municipalities on some of the
locations that we can set up and I'm planning on
having a setup. I've spoken with Carolyn Champion with Champions Pharmacy,
maybe having some on a Saturday where if you want
to come out and appeal it there at that site,
I'm gonna have somebody on site along with food, fun
and I'm gonna ask stan Ball will he.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Come and do it live for me?
Speaker 6 (29:31):
So that's that's that's a possiblity. Yeah, that we're gonna
do that. But but my main objective is to make
sure that you all are taking care of residential my constituents.
But I'm here to help you. And that's a good question.
I'm glad you said that so other people would know.
Just come see us and we're ready. We're ready for you.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Thank you, come man. I appreciate you.
Speaker 10 (29:49):
Man.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
All right, back to the fall lines. Tell me a
good morning. Thanks for calling you on the radio.
Speaker 16 (29:53):
Hey doing today?
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Thank you so much. Who goes there? I got a
call screen off. Just want to hear I like a
surprise her. Now there, this is normal, okay.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
County you.
Speaker 16 (30:08):
Yeah, oh yeah, I questioned about Uh, I got my
assessment for my property.
Speaker 13 (30:17):
I have two properties and it's not due to October.
But and I haven't got I got that needed to
ask you that you may know to ask this because
I know something that I was a signal I can
be She said, I can only to your homestead. They
have homestead or one of the properties.
Speaker 14 (30:35):
But the one that they sent me for my payment
for my taxes is the the bigs one determined what
OO determines which one you pay?
Speaker 9 (30:47):
Is that.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
Anything but assessment of anything when it comes to the
collection of moneys or what you pay, that comes to
a trustee, which is Regina Newman. She's the banker for
the county. So you can go to her website and
you know what, even so you can call my office
and we can give the information too. To two seven
thousand and one.
Speaker 14 (31:07):
I'm in I'm in another.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
Okay, that's fine, but still what you can do.
Speaker 6 (31:13):
Still, but she's the one that handles all the revenue
that does collected and like when you talked about the homestead,
you know, the Homestead Act or whatever that comes through
her her office.
Speaker 16 (31:23):
Not yes, ma'am, okay, I thought you might. No, I'll
probably just shake it, go down in the office and
check it out.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Anyway, who is yours? Jonesborough, who's your assessor that in
Cricket Accounty? You know off top you know what I
don't have to be.
Speaker 16 (31:41):
I don't know what I'm ting my hand and I
really don't know.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Hopefully you can relay over it to that person. Back
to the phone lines. W I one you in the radio.
Uh you're not working good? Oh, yes you're there.
Speaker 12 (31:57):
What you can do?
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I'm on that out sure.
Speaker 5 (32:02):
And my question is if if your property taxes is
covering this amount of square footage. Say, I'm gonna put
a ball ball figure out there, twelve hundred square feet.
But then you're trying to put a fist up, so
you call a privt They tell you to call a
private company to put a fence up. So you call
(32:25):
a private company to come out and put your fist up.
And they said that you only have a thousand square feet,
so but you're paying for twelve hundred square feet. So
why is there such a difference in the square footage?
Speaker 3 (32:40):
I tell you what the best thing to do on
something like that.
Speaker 6 (32:42):
You know, you're not the first person they ever asked this,
but you know, we do that aerial view and we
also look at you know, we got a mapping so
we got a mapping department, and we can tell you
where your boundary starting where they end. So won't you
do this once you call my office and and ask
that question, and I promise you we can get you
the right answer to tell.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
You why one is why one is one way and
one is the other.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
But now taking consideration, we have the actual aerial view
and the actual uh boundaries you know in our office
that we put online, you know, for your review. So
once you call my office, let's see how we can
compare the two and try to get that straighten out
because we have the actual we have the actual square
footage of your of your property.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Okay, so what's office? Yes, two to two uh seven
thousand and one, thousand and one, and look, and if
they don't.
Speaker 6 (33:37):
And if you don't get the help that you you
you should get the help because I got I got
a good call center. And if you feel that you're
not getting the help you call you can ask for
me and I make sure that we get that straighten out.
But you should shouldn't have no problem getting that taken care.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Of, all right, yea, I should appreciate that that's no problem.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Thank you, Penny, thank you. I come on the other radio,
who's next? Hey the morning, saying there George, good morning, fine, thank.
Speaker 9 (34:01):
You, good good, good, good good.
Speaker 12 (34:04):
Let me do a shout out right quick if you
don't man, first, let me say this every birthday to
Carolyn over in Lee Panther, Arkansas, to my cousin Craig,
and this deady tab mister Burgest. My beautiful cousin and
I were.
Speaker 9 (34:16):
At a restaurant once before.
Speaker 12 (34:17):
And I guess you saw us looking at you, and
she was looking at you. I told her that's a
married man.
Speaker 15 (34:24):
She said that's a good.
Speaker 9 (34:25):
Looking man, and we didn't want to interrupt your meal.
Speaker 12 (34:28):
However, you ever, then that saw us looking at you,
and you came over and introduced yourself.
Speaker 16 (34:34):
Of course I already knew who you were.
Speaker 9 (34:35):
She's a Proaridian, so she didn't know. But you were
very personal.
Speaker 12 (34:39):
You know, sometimes when you meet people of your status,
even though we're paying your salary, you want to be
a funny acting person. For lack of a better time
right now, but you came over and you spoke with us,
and I actuce you to my cousin, told.
Speaker 15 (34:53):
Her who you were, said successful, continue to be pleasant.
Speaker 9 (34:56):
We really really really appreciate that.
Speaker 12 (34:58):
And one last thing, which I know you have no
control over, I think it's terrible, terrible, terrible that when
you pay a home off you never own it. I
call it renting for a life.
Speaker 5 (35:09):
Have it done with Okay, and keep on being personable
with the people.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Okay, and thank you, thank you brother. I appreciate that.
All right, that's a good question, good comment. Arry got
to take a last break. Mart jolal mephis Am ten
seventy wd IA. Yeah, we're back, everybody. Thank you so
much for being here. It's a Friday morning, March twenty eight,
twenty twenty five. Thank you so much for being here.
Here stand special people, spotlight and we have all honors.
(35:35):
Our very special guest, Mister Melvin burg is the second
Shelby County Assessor of Property. This WI listener writes mister Burgess, staying,
would you please ask him if there's a certain age
as a senior citizen that you stop that you stop
having to pay property taxes.
Speaker 6 (35:54):
Stand, that's a great question, and that does not come
out of my purview. That follows up under Regina Newman,
who is the trustee. And I know if I try
to answer that, I know she might be listening, she
might get all over me. But just to call the
Trustees office. They can get all because I think also
not just that it's age, is disability. I think it's
(36:16):
an army vet if you're in the military. So it's
just you know, it's a it's a host of things
where you can get a moratorum on your on you
pay person U paying taxes, Yeah, George, Mike go on, Yeah.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (36:29):
That phone number is nine zero one to to to
zero two zero zero nine zero one two two to
zero two zero zero, And that's for tax relief, tax
freeze programs, and for questions regarding the text bills themselves.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
All right, Another question here from a w I A
listener on the email uh subject space property value. Why
can't you compare a house in North Memphis to a
house in East Memphis.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
Well, when you do an evaluation on a home, they
look at a lot of things. They look at, like
you said earlier, they look at access. Okay, what about
access to maws, access to different amenities such as restaurants
and just things that make your life a lot easier.
That's the difference. And also they look at you know,
(37:23):
where the majority of people where they reside, you know,
what's around them. Is it a is it bound by
a costcos or is it bound by a.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Home depot.
Speaker 6 (37:36):
Some of the messes that you see in East Memphis,
and that's the reason why some are though their properties.
You can't compare the two. Now, of course you can
get when you say North Memphis. I think that's what
they said. Now maybe you can get close to that
midtown area, you know where you know some of the
home they're still big, you know, some of the big
the larger, big homes. And also guess what they look
(37:58):
at they look at also the school. So you know,
it's like a family comes into town, you know where
you think the realtor realator will uh stir them, you know,
and we all know it's gonna be East Memphis. That's
where they That's what they're gonna take them to, East
Memphis because they feel that the amenities and the and
the way of life is out in East Memphis, which
is I'm gonna say it's unfortunate, but what can we
(38:19):
do to make sure that we keep our neighborhoods in
taxes were we can get some of the same values.
But really, in this last real praiser, we did everybody
values one of regardless where you were. North Memphis, South Memphis, Klondike, Uh,
New Chicago. It doesn't mean that it all went up,
maybe not as high, but they are they all saw
uh an increase in their values.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Okay, And another g I listener writes again about uh
the property value and all that property taxes? How can
they get a freeze on paying property taxes? That under
miss uh the trustees office? How how can they get
a freeze on paying property taxes? That is that it
all possible? Maybe that's also.
Speaker 7 (38:58):
Under Shelby Kundy trustee Regia Morrison Newman nine zero one
two two two zero two zero zero.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Thank you Dennis for that one. And let me take
another one.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Okay, So you'll necessarily might not have to be a
senior citizen to get this, you think, I know that's
for Regina, but but senior citizens possibly probably.
Speaker 7 (39:17):
Yes, a senior citizens, disabled veterans. And there are some
opportunities for homes in historic areas that we're also exploring.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Now, George Boyington, by the way, and governmental relations and
also assistant well he works in the assessor's office. We'll
take a one more call, and I think we're gonna go,
But I wanted to ask you, mister Burridges. Now you
mentioned about not necessarily Jones inspecting the house. I know
you can't get the property. And you mentioned something about
what GPS or get gis the's someone it all physically
(39:52):
come and visually inspectors that against against privacy or something.
Is anybody really comes and visually inspect to re evaluate
the property?
Speaker 6 (40:00):
We do we get something to come out. They come
out with their vests on. They come out with their
vests and uniform. Yeah, their uniform. So we do some
do come out and physically look at them.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Oh that's great. I want to know that as well.
Thanks for that, Jay Glenn. Also, there you go. I
think list and now let me segue if you will,
to x AI, if you don't mind, I want to
talk about all this artificial intelligence, the XAI mister Elon
Musk coming into Memphis, and I know he's been just
(40:30):
about everywhere across the United States and the need of
the world, but Memphis somehow has been drawn into the
relationship with Elon Musk in terms of XAI supercomputer and
all of that. The Property Assessor's office has a little
something to do with that as well. Are you at
the table or why would we why would your office
be up on this? In other words, you know, talk
(40:52):
to us about xai elon musk in relationship. I know
he's been to other cities trying to introduce, if you will,
the supercomputer and other things that he was to do,
and some did not embrace sure him.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Sure, but Memphis did. We did.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
So Sam wants you to know that you know, we uh,
you know, we put valuers on all real estate and
personal property, right so we know that we just received
boxes full and his office.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Was very cooperative.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
They brought to our office probably about fifty boxes of
personal property records and what that is would be like
some of the equipment that's that he has report that
they have reported x I have reported for personal property,
you know, identifications for us to tax. And I think
the last number I looked at was right in about
fourteen point five million dollars in personal property. That that
(41:37):
that this county will will you know, we'll see anytime
there's any economic incentives or based anything that's based on values.
We were at the table to make sure that she
Shelby County is getting their fair share of you know,
real estate as well as personal property. When I say
personal property. That's what's really located in his uh in
(41:58):
the building x AI building.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah, so so we so we've embraced mister Musk and
the Xai and the super computing and everything. Shelby County
plays in the significant part. Right, So what's happening with
that IKEA building?
Speaker 12 (42:11):
Do you know?
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Is that not a Keia bild?
Speaker 1 (42:14):
Is it was?
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (42:16):
I key?
Speaker 16 (42:16):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (42:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Do we the city of Memphis Shelby Kunty owns that building?
Is that the case, George? Or what building is that
now that we are I guess and we're renting or
mister Musk is renting to let me tell your mike
Now I care what building is that?
Speaker 3 (42:32):
It's Electrolux.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
Electro Lux, That's what I'm at. I'm sorry about that. Yeah,
electric LUXE talk to me about that processor?
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Yeah I was, I was. I couldn't. I couldn't put
my hands around that when I looked at George.
Speaker 6 (42:42):
Yeah right, So, so what happened was I know, when
I came on uh in twenty I was elected in
twenty eighteen. But in twenty nineteen, I think staying electro
Lux broke their powered agreement, right, and as of today,
the figure that I have I can Rememberumber is maybe
right at maybe between thirty four to thirty seven million
(43:03):
dollars if they owed its county the same building that.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
We gave.
Speaker 6 (43:09):
When I say we, the Edgeboard gave electric Lux, there
was no clawbacks in the contract, right, so therefore we
gave that building to electro Lux, that same building that
the electro Lux we gave electrical Lux, the same building
that x Ai is leasing from electro Lux with electric
Lux on this county for breaking their pilot over thirty
(43:32):
four million dollars.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
And when you say pilot, is that an acronym or
that's just that we're allowing them to come here without Yeah, So,
which is a good thing. You know, I'm not against pilots.
It's called it's payment in lieu of taxes. So we're
give incentives to companies to move here, you know, based
upon job creation, based upon how are they going to
boost Shelby County as far as its economic growth.
Speaker 6 (43:55):
So so we give them a taxi centem. And that's
how you know Citi's embrace, That's how city get companies
to come here, to give them a pilot, give them pallet.
So but my thing is, you know, we also got
to hold them accountable, you know, you know, when we
are giving out pilots to ensure that they're saying what
they're gonna do. Are they going to employ two hundred
shear of accountings, are they gonna are they gonna train?
(44:16):
Are they gonna say what they do?
Speaker 1 (44:18):
You know?
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Are they gonna do what they say?
Speaker 6 (44:19):
You know, because I don't think it's fair, you know,
to abate taxes for a company, but I don't wantbate
the text of these colleges that are coming in.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
It's not fair. I agree, I agree. All right, Well,
I think it's wrap it up.
Speaker 12 (44:33):
Man.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Many of the other questions we can definitely ask, but
I think you've answered quite a few before you before
you go. Is there anything else you want to put
out there in terms of your officer, property assessor and
things that look forward to or maybe that our that's
the constituents, if you will, as citizen Reed should be
on the lookout for from your office.
Speaker 6 (44:50):
Estan, thank you again, thank you for having us on
this you know, this morning. But what I want to
say is this to the constituents that put me in
this office. I've always worked for you and I will
continue to work for the constentus here in Shelby County.
And you know there are things out there that are
going on that you need to know because it's dealing
with you all. You know, I mean, what's your tax
with your personal with your property taxes? And you know
(45:12):
I need be more transparent and I want to keep
providing resources for you all to understand. You know, what
you can and what you do and what you what
you're doing, what you don't have. So I want to
I'm here for you when it comes to this new
real praisal that came out. You got to do is
call our office. I think we uh it was two
two two seven thousand and one or www dot assessor
(45:33):
Melvin Burgess dot com.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
We're here to help you.
Speaker 6 (45:36):
But if you don't call us like I think, like
the last caller talked about a couple of properties back,
you know, down the street from him where I think
it was blight or whatever the case might be. But see,
we don't know that because we have a lot of
properties to look at to evaluate. So please call our office.
We're here for you. This assessor is here for you
and to see what we can do to help you
with this real appraisal assessment that they came out, and
(45:57):
I worked hard trying to push the two year appraisal.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
But what I want you to know is this.
Speaker 6 (46:02):
You know, talk to your county commissioner and your city
councilman because they are going to set the new tax rate.
The tax rate is on the county statue three thirty nine.
The state will come in and the trustee's office will
also she will.
Speaker 3 (46:16):
Hold back up you said thirty nine cent.
Speaker 6 (46:22):
They're probably lord the tax rate because remember you can't
get a windfall or profit of three appraisal. They're probably
I'm just being hypothetically. I don't know what the exact
number would be. It might be two ninety. Well, whatever
it is, it's up to your county commissioner to determine
what your tax rate's gonna be. So that's going to
determine how much you pay in property taxes. I'm just
the assessor. All I do is assess the property. However,
(46:44):
we can help you on the assessment part. My office
can help you, and we want to help you. We
want you to appeal it. We want you to come
to us and see how we can help you before
you go to that border Equalization. Now I can't help
you if you bypass my office and go to the
Board of Equalization, It's nothing I can do. That's why
I'm encouraging all property owners please come see me. If
(47:05):
you are not happy with your assessment, we will be
We will be gladly to help you and assist you,
and I'm here for you. You know my again, you
know we value people over property. That's something I came
up with because I want you to know that. That's
why you all put me in this office to work
for you, and that's what I'm doing, working for the
constituency heionship we count.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
We've been talking with the Assessor property for Shelby County
and mister Melvin Burgess the second and of course in
the Office of Governmental Relations and in the Assessor's office,
mister George Boyington.
Speaker 10 (47:34):
He's on and popping.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
It's the Stan Belle Morning Show weekdates from six to
ten am on the Heart and Soul of Memphis ten
seventy WD I a
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