Kingfisher County Assessor Carolyn Mulherin has certified her report on county property valuations to the county excise board.

This year’s report shows an increase in total valuation to $476,270,564 – from $413,881,093 last year, an increase in homestead exemptions to $3,256,134, and an increase in net valuations to $473,014,430 from $410,561,583.

Property valuations as certified by the assessor’s office serve as the basis for ad valorem tax assessments, which support county schools as well as the health department, emergency ambulance service and general county operations.

The large increases are seen as the result of the county’s increased oilfield activity and an additional wind energy project in the Hennessey area.

However, pending district court tax appeals from two wind companies and an oil company are holding up the release of more than $6 million in ad valorem taxes from the last four years, which are being held in escrow by the county treasurer’s office until the appeals are decided.

[See Sunday’s paper for a more in depth story on that issue.]

The largest increase in valuations – $55,774,407 – came in the personal property classification, which includes drilling and mineral development equipment located in the county as of Jan. 1.

This year’s personal property valuations totaled $307,619,292 as compared to $251,844,885 a year earlier.

Real estate valuations were somewhat higher this year – $115,604,100 compared to $108,641,548 last year.

Public Service property valuations, including utilities and railroads, decreased slightly – to $53,047,172 from $53,394,660.

Public service property valuations are set by the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

Five of the county’s six school districts showed increases in valuations this year. Only Cashion had a decrease – at  $72,731,205, from $75,978,567 a year earlier. Dover led the districts with increases at $18,932,256, followed closely by Okarche at $17,650,989.

A majority (84 percent) of ad valorem tax goes to support schools in Kingfisher County.

Net valuation totals for local school districts this year follow:

Okarche – $67,347,980, up $17,650,989.

Hennessey – $84,183,776, up $11,549,794.

Kingfisher – $118,108,279, up $4,345,295.

Cashion – $72,731,205, down $3,247,362.

Dover – $75,637,178, up $18,932,256.

Lomega – $46,911,930, up $11,781,380.

Okeene – $1,389,810, up $543,939.

Drummond – $70,908, up $2,520.

Cimarron – $63,135, down $33.

Marshall-Covington – $2,343,810, up 953,323.

Piedmont – $365,440, down $490,783.

Crescent – $3,860,979, up $431,529.