Richard Antwi
09/10/2021
Reference citation: Mitchell, A. (1997). Zeroing in: Geographic Information Systems at work in the
community. Environmental Systems Research Institute.
Questions: (1) Can GIS be used to used to create a database query for property taxation and
valuation? (2) Can A GIS database be created to enable someone living within the neighborhood
understand how their properties are taxed? (3) Can the parameters used for appraisal and taxation
be easily visualized using a GIS or a map?
Geographic features, attributes, and data sources:
Geographic Features (type)
Land parcels (polygons)
Geographic coordinates
(points)
Roads (lines)
Attributes
Data Sources
Parcels; Size of house and lot,
age of the house, type of
construction, cost of nearby
houses, account number,
property owner’s name, street
address, number of rooms,
effective year, area.
Maps from the District offices
which are scanned or digitised,
Aerial photographs which are
digitised, ground/preliminary
data like; deeds, building
permits, geographic
coordinates.
Methods: (1) The study used GIS to compare and calculate the value of each parcel and provide its
needed tax through proximity analysis, location, size of parcel, number of rooms. (2) The study created
a buffer zone around parcels of interest and selected them for comparison to be made to similar
properties in the locality. (3)The study used GIS selection tool and spatial query tool, parcels with
similar attributes or characteristics, color coded them, and when a query is made, the database
returns a color coded results for easy visualisation and understanding.
Findings: Most properties similar to each other were valued the same. GIS is a great tool for creating
a database that can visualise property appraisal and taxation using attributes like size of parcel,
location of land, age of building, number of rooms, etc. It has made work easier for the stuff. The data
can easily be updated.
Conclusions, recommendations, and/or outcome:
Authors’ Conclusions: GIS has helped the customers to easily assess how their properties are valued.
GIS has helped the district to make accurate and fair property appraisals for residents. GIS has made
it easy for land parcel data to be easily updated.
In my opinion: GIS is a great tool which can make work easier and faster. It can be used to update
maps and keep information accurate. Information on land appraisal and valuation should completely
be open access to residents. Customers should have unlimited access to use GIS to query and easily
understand how their properties are valued and taxed at any location and not just in the district
offices.