Washington County President Judge Debbie O’Dell Seneca today issued an order forcing the county to proceed with a county-wide reassessment.

The judge ruled that the county must abide by a consent degree it entered into with the Washington and McGuffey school districts in 2008, according to the Observer-Reporter. That consent decree stipulates that Washington County was to begin the reassessment procedure by Sept. 30, 2009, according to the Observer-Reporter.

Washington County Commissioners Diana Irey-Vaughan and Larry Maggi have opposed the reassessment—contending that it should wait until the state Legislature is able to help fix what they have called a "broken system."

Both have said the reassessment will cost about $8 million.

Diana Irey-Vaughan and Maggi could not immediately be reached for comment.

State Rep. Jesse White, D-Cecil, who opposes reassessment until the Legislature can take action on the process, could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.