https://youtu.be/TufU9fwb2dI

During the past few days I have received some e mails, phone calls about the assessment notices. I have also spent time reading blog postings. There is a lot of wrong info out there. A couple, for example, stopped by at Town Hall yesterday very upset that their assessment went up $15,000. Their house was worth over $700,000. A $15,000 assessment increase does not mean on a $700,000 dollar house does not mean a big tax hike.

The Town Board members (Ellen Hendrickx, Ken Jones, Diana Juettner, Francis Sheehan and I) asked the Assessor, Edye McCarthy to respond to questions people have been asking. I think that the video will help you better understand the letters that have been sent in the mail.

We created a you tube video that should answer your questions.

PAUL FEINER

Homeowners received a letter last week (unless it was lost in the mail)  that will indicate whether or not a change was made to their assessment from 2018 to 2019 which may affect their 2020 property taxes. Every year every resident will receive an assessment notice which basically advises you how much your house is worth.  Assessments can change due to many factors.  The most common is due to market trends.  These are small percentage differences from year to year as a result of how the market fluctuates.  This trend may go up or down from the previous year.  The good part about a trend is that everyone in the neighborhood receives the same percentage, so that alone should not greatly impact next year’s taxes.  Other reasons an assessment can change could be as a result of improvements on the property that had occurred over the past year.  Assessments can also be reduced because of a previous year’s grievance, market trend is showing a downturn or the Assessor had determined the Assessment was improper.

If the owner feels like the assessment should be different than what is represented on the letter for the 2019 tentative assessment, they can file a grievance between June 1-18th.  They would have to supply proof that the Town’s assessment is higher than the owners estimate of market value (what a property feels they can sell their house for today).  The way to do this is to supply a market analysis from a realtor, a recent appraisal, or if recently sold, a deed or contract of sale along with an appraisal.  The phone of the assessor's office is 989-1520.

I

 https://youtu.be/TufU9fwb2dI