Mayor Joe Carr, Property Assessor Rob Mitchell complain of each other in press releases
Property Assessor Rob Mitchell responds after Ethics Committee meeting
Rutherford County Property Assessor Rob Mitchell responds after Ethics Committee meeting.
- Mitchell: ‘Assessor’s office does not take directives’ from mayor
- Mitchell files legal challenge to State Board of Equalization decision for the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office to correct appraisal errors and bill the county for the services
- Comptroller’s staff uncertain of costs to complete corrections
- Mayor Carr says state and Mitchell’s employees are ‘trying to uncover the wrongs’
- Carr accuses Mitchell of failing to provide leadership
The state will correct Rutherford Property Assessor Rob Mitchell’s inacurate appraisals because he “was unable or unwilling to comply” with Tennessee law, a state June 2 letter said.
The letter came from Bryan Kinsey, the director of Division of Property Assessments for the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office.
Kinsey’s letter sent to Mitchell and other Rutherford County officials follows the State Board of Equalization decision March 4 giving Mitchell 60 days to correct the appraisal records.
“The board required the county to review a total of 22,180 properties with suspected errors,” Kinsley’s letter to Mitchell said.
“The Division’s 10% sample contained 2,223 properties. At the conclusion of the review on May 29, 2025, the division determined that the county erred in its determinations and corrective action for 251 properties, culminating in an 11.3% error rate.”
Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr suggested that Mitchell should resign over recent state findings of inaccurate appraisals.
“I am committed to ensuring that our county’s property taxpayers are treated fairly and equitably,” Carr said in a June 4 press release sent to The Daily News Journal. “I would not think it strange if Mr. Mitchell wanted to submit his resignation.”
Mitchell: ‘Assessor’s office does not take directives’ from mayor
Mitchell emailed a press release to The Daily News Journal June 5 in response to the mayor suggesting that he consider resigning.
“I want to be clear about the structure and independence of the assessor’s office,” Mitchell’s release said. “As an independently-elected constitutional officer, the assessor’s office does not take directives from the county mayor. The Tennessee Constitution establishes the assessor as an independent office, elected directly by the people of Rutherford County to serve their interests in property assessment matters.
“This matter is not something that should be litigated in the court of public opinion. Complex legal and administrative issues require proper channels and due process, not public spectacle or political theater.
“I have full faith and trust in our judiciary and administrative officials at both the state and local levels. I am happy to follow any directives that the appropriate state offices provide through proper legal channels. The citizens of Rutherford County deserve to have these matters handled professionally and according to established legal procedures.
“I remain committed to serving the taxpayers of Rutherford County with integrity and will continue to fulfill the duties of the office to which I was elected.”
Mitchell files legal challenge to comptroller’s office
Mitchell through his attorney Bud Carman, a former director of the comptroller’s division of property assessments, filed a legal challenge to the board of equalization’s decision on correcting property appraisals.
“Mayor Joe Carr has used half-truth to convict an honorable man without due process,” Carman said in a statement emailed June 5 to The Daily News Journal.
“Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, a half-truth is often the biggest lie of all.’ The effect of a ‘half-truth public statement’ by a county mayor with a political agenda, is at issue as to an ethical consideration.”
Carman on behalf of Mitchell filed the legal challenge to the comptroller’s office’s actions in Davidson County Chancery Court.
“The finding of non-compliance by the State Board of Equalization by law is subject to a petition for judicial review,” Carman said.
Comptroller’s spokesman John Dunn said his office has no comment about the legal challenge.
“We have been advised to not answer any questions,” Dunn said.
“The (Tennessee) Attorney General’s Office is representing us in that matter.”
Mayor Carr accuses Mitchell of failing to provide leadership
Rutherford Mayor Carr responded to a request for comment from The Daily News Journal through a June 4 press release from the county government spokeswoman Lisa Kaye about the issue with Mitchell’s office.
Carr was notified by whistleblowers in the summer of 2023 of “possible malfeasance and irregularities” in the property assessor’s office. Due to the mayor’s legal obligation in state law, Tenn. Code Annotated 8-4-503(a), Carr was required to report the whistleblower concerns to the comptroller’s office, according to the press release.
“It is frustrating that it has taken so long to move forward, but an issue of this magnitude must be undertaken carefully,” Carr said in the press release.
“The assessor’s office staff are more than competent; some really good people are there. This is a dereliction of duty and a failure of Rob Mitchell’s leadership. For a number of years, he has violated the basic equity application of the law regarding the assessment of property values in this county.”
The press release from the mayor’s office suggested the inaccurate property appraisals violates public trust for a community that deserves better.
Mayor says state, Mitchell’s employees are ‘trying to uncover the wrongs’
Based on the error rate of 11.3% and the fact that there are over 130,000 parcels in Rutherford County, there could be over 15,000 parcels that are incorrectly assessed, and should be addressed and rectified immediately, the press release from the mayor’s office said.
“My office has been cooperating with the comptroller’s office and will continue to do so,” Carr said in the press release.
The press release also said the mayor thanks the officials with the comptroller’s division of property assessments officials and commends them and Mitchell’s employees for their diligence “in trying to uncover the wrongs, so that confidence can be restored to the Rutherford County Property Assessor’s Office.”
Comptroller’s staff uncertain of costs to complete corrections
The error rate of property appraisal records exceeded the 5% rate established by the board of equalization in directing the comptroller’s staff to take steps to bring Rutherford into compliance of state law, according to the letter from Kinsey, the director of the division of property assessments.
“The division will promptly notify the assessor of the error rate and begin making corrections in accordance with the law,” the letter said.
“Furthermore, the division will maintain records of the costs incurred pursuant to this action and invoice thecounty at the conclusion of the compliance effort.”
Dunn, the comptroller’s spokesman, said the division of property assessments is unsure how long the corrections will take or what the estimated costs will be to Rutherford.
“Our office will work to ensure we make the necessary corrections in the most efficient and responsible way possible,” Dunn said.
This is a developing story.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
