Phone lines at Hillsborough Property Appraiser working again

TAMPA - UPDATE: The phones are now working, the property appraiser said.

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With an important deadline fast approaching, the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's office is frantically trying to repair a broken phone line that prevents customers from calling in with questions.

"We have no telephone service and have not had any since Thursday," said Will Shepherd, an attorney for Property Appraiser Rob Turner's office.  A large Verizon line was accidentally severed by a traffic light crew in Brandon.

Wednesday is the last day property owners have to file petitions challenging their TRIM notices.  TRIM is Truth in Millage, and it provides important information about property values.

"This is when everyone in the county gets the information as to what their tax assessment is and their exemption information," Shepherd said.  "We usually get hundreds of phone calls a day," he said.

The office is expected to temporarily convert some fax lines to normal lines, so customers can get through on the phone.  But they are expected to be jammed once they are available, so officials are recommending people with questions use the internet instead.  

The website is www.hcpafl.org .  Go to the customer service area and use the email address.  Employees will answer the emails or use an alternative.

"We will call you back on our cell phones," Shepherd said, assuming enough are available.

The issue has become political.  Democratic candidate for property appraiser, Bob Henriquez, called the situation a "crisis" and announced a news conference Tuesday to discuss the issue.