THOMASVILLE — Close to 24,000 Thomas County taxpayers were on the mailing list for revaluation assessment notices that went out Thursday.

The Georgia Department of Revenue has fined Thomas County more than $100,000 in the last two years, because property assessments do not comply with Georgia law.

The Georgia code requires that property be assessed at 40 percent of fair market value.

Thomas County assessments were at 32.65 percent in 2006. The preliminary valuation ratio for the 2007 tax digest is 28.31.

Don Long, chief appraiser, addressed Thomas County commissioners this week about the revaluation, which cost $100,000 during a two-year period.

“Why have we not kept up with the assessments?” county Commissioner Elaine Mays asked Long.

“What’s happened is in the past,” Long responded. “It’s up to the board of assessors, staff and commissioners to correct that.”

Noting Thomas County’s rapid growth, commission Chairman Josh Herring said he does not think Thomas County is alone. Neither is Thomas the only Georgia county being fined, Herring added.

After the September 2001, terrorist attack, Americans invested in their homeland, and property values escalated, the chief appraiser said.

Also, Long said, when frequent hurricanes ravage Florida, Floridians moved to South Georgia, further increasing property values.

Officials said some property taxes will increase as a result of the revaluation, but not all. Some will decrease. The rule of thumb is one-third will increase, one-third will decrease, and the remainder will not change.

Some property values are up 20 percent, others 60 percent, Herring said.

If Thomas County is not brought in line with the 40 percent assessment rule, the state revenue department could prevent county government from levying taxes, Long told commissioners.

Long expects 2,500 to 3,300 appeals of the new assessments.

Assessments are based on sales, cost and income on residential, agricultural, commercial industrial and vacant land.