The State Department of Taxation and Finance is encouraging property owners to check their assessments before the start of Grievance Day next week for accuracy and equality.
Most Grievance Days by town and city Assessment Boards of Review in the state will occur at locally set hours on the fourth Tuesday in May, the 23rd, but can be held through June 13, the second Tuesday of next month, if there is a shared assessor. There also are variations set by law for New York City and some other large counties and for those villages which assess their properties separate from towns.
Proper assessments, according to the state, are based on several factors, including proper classification of a property, accuracy in data gathering and determination of market value, equalization rates which are set and can change annually, and equal assessment of an individual property with those of comparable value.
The equalization rates, or the percentage of market value at which assessments in Allegany County towns are being assessed, are available under Current Equalization Information at https://bit.ly/43fnPI2, as part of municipal profiles. Profiles for other areas of the state are available at https://on.ny.gov/3OozT5B.
Other online assessment resources
The State Department of Taxation and Finance also provides additional online information and guidance in regard to property taxes and how to file a grievance, an appeal, or subsequent actions to contest an assessment, including:
— Property Taxes (including video): https://bit.ly/3BOUCId.
— Property Assessments: https://on.ny.gov/43cXNoZ.
— Contest Your Assessment: https://on.ny.gov/3pYXn7r.
— Contest Your Assessment Guide/Booklet: https://bit.ly/3BEOPVT.
— How to Estimate the Market Value of Your Home: https://on.ny.gov/3Ovc3VV.
— New York State Assessor’s Manual, including definitions: https://on.ny.gov/42RtaFD.
— Online Fillable Grievance Form: https://on.ny.gov/430gQDq, and Instructions: https://bit.ly/3IpeyVW.
Property tax factors
Individual property tax bills only are partially determined by one’s assessment.
The local government unit, including the county, school district, town, village and any special taxing districts such as those associated with fire, lighting, and others, determines its own budget.
The budget, in association with the total property values in the tax entity, determine the tax rate.
For the county and school and special districts, which include more than than one town, rates also will be affected by equalization rates, with lower equalization rates in comparison with others in the taxing district resulting in a higher rate of property tax.
— Note: An incorrect date of Tuesday, May 24, has been corrected to Tuesday, May 23.