Kanawha County property taxes continue to rise

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- More than 24,000 Kanawha County homeowners and almost 3,500 business owners just got notices telling them their property taxes are going up by more than 10 percent this year.

County tax records show property appraisals going up steadily for the past five years, despite a weak economy and slow home sales. Some property owners don't understand why their taxes keep going up, even though their houses may be worth less on the market. Local real estate agents have also questioned how officials for the Kanawha County Assessor's office arrive at property appraisals.