Cameron Payne, a data collector for KRT Appraisal, inspects a house Friday in Auburn. Owner Larry LaRoche shows the tiny closets typical of homes built in the 1920s. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

When the Sun Journal asked readers for their thoughts on whether people should let property inspectors into their home for the revaluation, they basically fell into a few camps. We break it down:

“Don’t let them in. They don’t need to see what’s inside. It will only make my taxes go up.”

That was essentially what we heard from a large majority of people, who are skeptical that allowing inspectors inside will lead to anything but higher taxes. There’s also a lot of people who feel like government is overstepping. Why, they wonder, should they be taxed more because they take care of their house?

For officials leading the revaluation effort, they insist it’s about equity. They’re not trying to collect more money, they’re trying to make sure the pie is sliced evenly.

City Assessor Karen Scammon said interior inspections can confirm what may or may not have changed since either the property was built or the last inspection was done, and verify information on the property record card.

“Most importantly the interior condition of the property changes over time either due to depreciation or improvements made,” she said. “To accurately assess what exists, an interior inspection is needed.”

“Let them in. Then they won’t overestimate and make my taxes go up.”

Those who said they have no problem inviting appraisers inside said they were worried that if they don’t, the value of their home will be overestimated by inspectors forced to make assessments from the outside.

“If you don’t let them in, they will have to estimate, and it will probably be high,” said commenter Tammy Clavet-Bureau.

Officials confirmed that if the inspector does only an exterior inspection “they must make assumptions on the interior.” If there’s new siding, windows, or other new features, it may be assumed there have been upgrades made to the interior, Scammon said.

“This may or may not be accurate, but without the interior inspection it is all the information that can be used to base the valuation on,” she said.

“If you don’t want them in your house, make sure the outside looks like crap.”

Others had more creative ideas for wading through the process, like purposely making their property look dilapidated.

“Hold on one second while I put some holes (in) some sheetrock and get rid of all my (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets,” one person said.

Another commenter brought up the Creedence Clearwater Revival song “Fortunate Son,” which features the lyric “But when the taxman come to the door, Lord, the house lookin’ like a rummage sale.”