For counties and municipalities across the country, property taxes are the gift that keeps on giving. In both good and bad times, American cities and counties seem to find a way to burden their residents by raising these pesky levies. Since mortgage lenders often automatically shunt future property tax payments into escrow accounts each month, many equity-building homeowners don't even focus on the fact that they're paying hundreds or thousands of dollars per year to their local governments.  This year, Shelby County, Tennessee, which is the county where Memphis is located, is assessing the value of every property and adjusting rates.  Some are going up and some are going down.  Event though we manage close to 1,600 single-family rental properties in Memphis, it makes sense to think about our own homes tax appraisal.