Homeowners challenge whopping assessments :

Michael Bergeson plans to frame his tax assessment notice.

The assistant state's attorney's modest waterview home on a half-acre lot in Arnold was valued at $281,000 three years ago. But apparently Mr. Bergeson's investment paid off.

His latest assessment weighed in at a whopping $1.8 million, a six-fold increase in value, well above the average 55.5 percent increase seen across the county.

Assuming an assessor somewhere missed a decimal point or forgot to carry a one, Mr. Bergeson will be one of thousands of property owners appealing their home values.

"If I could sell my house for $1 million less than its...