Major property tax reform is the agenda of some Republican lawmakers next legislative session. They say the system needs an overhaul, but for now they’ll settle for making it more fair.

Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers says the real estate market slump has exposed glaring weaknesses in how property taxes are assessed.

“When you have properties being assessed for $80,000, yet the property next door is being sold for $20,000, you have a problem," says Rogers, "and unfortunately you have people paying taxes that honestly they don’t owe.”

Rogers who is chairman of the senate committee studying property tax reform says assessments needs to be based more on market value rather than a general trend in a property’s community as is done now.

He also wants to make it easier for people to appeal their property tax assessment.

Republican House member Ed Lindsay joined Rogers calling for reform.

In the 2010 session, Lindsay says he will once again push a bill that will prevent counties from cherry picking properties to reassess their values.

Tags: Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, Representative Robert Lindsay, property tax reform, HB 1, property tax assessment