CHAPTER 555

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
15-854.8, relating to general reassessments of real estate in certain
counties, and to provide for a referendum thereon.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: __

1. That the Code of Virginia be amended by adding a section numbered
15-354.3, as follows:

§ 15-354.3. (a) Notwithstanding that provision of § 15-354.1 pro-
viding for a periodic reassessment of property if, in any county operating
under the county manager plan provided for in this chapter a majority
of the qualified voters voting on the question submitted in the election
held as provided in paragraph (c) of this section shall vote as hereinafter
provided, real estate may be periodically reassessed in the manner pre-
scribed by this section. ;

If the county has an efficient system of annual assessment established
under § 15-354.1, which has been approved by the State Tax Commis-
sioner, no periodic reassessment shall be required except as provided by
this § 15-354.3. A periodic reassessment may be required if:

(1) The governing body of such county, by a recorded “yea” and
“nay” vote, requests the circuit court of such county, or the judge thereof
in vacation, to order a general reassessment at such time or times as it
deems proper and such court, or judge thereof in vacation, enters an
order directing a reassessment of real estate in the manner provided by
aw; or

(2) If no general reassessment has been completed within a period
of four years, and the owners of ten per centum of the number of parcels
of property in the county, which owners shall also be qualified voters in
the county, petition the court for a general reassessment of real estate,
the court shall order such reassessment of real estate in the manner pro-
vided by law. The petitioners shall be property owners in the county as of
January one of the year in which such petition is filed.

(b) In January of the year following the referendum provided
for in paragraph (c), if the provisions of this § 15-354.3 become appli-
cable in such county, and every fourth year thereafter, the circuit court
of such county shall appoint not less than three but not more than five
independent qualified persons as it may deem proper as appraisers who
shall make a review of the procedures of the Department of Real Estate
Assessments, and who shall make a random sample appraisal in the nature
of a reassessment of ten per centum of the total number of parcels of
real estate in the county. Such appraisers shall, upon completion of their
findings, make a report of such findings to the governing body of the
county and to the circuit court, or to the judge thereof in vacation. The
court, or judge thereof in vacation, shall determine from such report
whether there is a material variation between the valuations found
under this section and those found under § 15-354.1; if there be such
variation, such court or judge shall order a general reassessment of real
estate under § 15-354.1 to be made in the manner provided by law. The
court shall prescribe a time within which such reassessment shall be com-
pleted. But this paragraph shall not apply within four years of any re-
assessment had under paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection (a) hereof.

(c) A referendum may be initiated by a petition signed by two hun-
dred or more of the qualified voters in the county, filed with the circuit
court, or judge thereof in vacation, asking that a referendum be held on
the question of whether the real estate in the county shall be reassessed
as provided in paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection (a) hereof. Such court
or judge shall, on or before the first day of August following the date of
the filing of the petition enter of record an order requiring the election
officials of the county to open the polls and take the sense of the voters
at the regular election to be held in November of such year on the question
herein provided. The clerk of the county shall cause a notice of such elec-
tion to be published in some newspaper, published or having a general
circulation in the county, once a week for three consecutive weeks, and
shall post a copy of such notice in the courthouse of such county. The
regular election officials of the county, at the time designated therein, shall
open the polls at the various voting places in the county and conduct the
election in such manner as is provided for by law for other elections,
insofar as the same is applicable. The election shall be by separate ballot,
which shall be prepared by the electoral board and distributed to the
various election precincts as in other elections. The ballots to be used shall
be printed as follows:

Shall real estate in the county of (insert the name of the county) be
— in the manner prescribed by § 15-354.3 of the Code of Virginia?

[] Yes

CL] No
The election shall in all respects be held as provided in § 24-141 of the
Code of Virginia.

(d) If the court or judge directs a referendum upon the question set
forth in paragraph (c) hereof he shall set forth in his order the existing
and proposed methods of reassessments of real estate which order may be
posted at each polling place in the county and at the courthouse by the
electoral board.

(e) If the result of the election held as provided in paragraph (c)
hereof be in the affirmative, then the provisions of this section shall super-
sede all other provisions of law in conflict herewith.