Screwed Taxpayers

[Screwy Assessments]

From the Assessor's own website:
"I recved a reduction from the Assessment Review Commission last year? Why did the assessment go back up?
The Department of Assessment recves notice of all reductions granted by the Assessment Review Commission as they are made and considers them when it establishes its values for following years. However, the Department of Assessment is required to make an independent determination as part of its annual revaluation of all property; must bring values up to date with the current market and apply a consistent methodology that treats like properties alike."

So why is my assessment rising in a down market? Why does the realtor tell me to lower the price, but the assessor claims my house is worth more? In the face of this paradox, why does the ARC summarily decline appeals? How does one appeal a declined appeal?

Help us!!!!!!

[shammy]

i wish i could figure that one out too.

if you look at the leg calendars, and read about tax challenges in the news, you will see that business are getting corrections on taxes going back to 2002. our assessment has been wrong and was finally corrected this year. we were told, however, that we cannot correct it for prior years (except for the small claims hearing). why not?

the county made a mistake. why shouldn't we get our money back.

and like you too, we had to file a grievance yet again, because after finally bng corrected, the assessment dept. increased our value 12% this year.
in a down market.

[Unregistered36]

i wish i could figure that one out too.

if you look at the leg calendars, and read about tax challenges in the news, you will see that business are getting corrections on taxes going back to 2002. our assessment has been wrong and was finally corrected this year. we were told, however, that we cannot correct it for prior years (except for the small claims hearing). why not?

the county made a mistake. why shouldn't we get our money back.

and like you too, we had to file a grievance yet again, because after finally bng corrected, the assessment dept. increased our value 12% this year.
in a down market.

The commercial properties (business you mention) get settlements going back years because they hired an representative to file and appeal for them each of those years. Commercial properties just takes years to settle. You don't know the rules and should be hiring someone to do it for you. You'd hired an attorney to file a lawsuit and a CPA to do your taxes, Levinson says you can do it yourself but you should leave it to an expert! I do.

[Boo hoo boonies]

You know, every Tom Dick and Harry who whines here about "12%" and "8%" and even "25%" assessment increases

CONVENIENTLY

forgets that the median increase (that's the 50% mark) in property values in Nassau since the year 2000 is somewhere in the 100 - 150% category.

So if you think that the County numbers are wrong, call 3 of your local real estate agents over and give 'em a look-see at your home

THEN

you'll know what your home is worth TODAY - not ten years ago, or last week, but TODAY...

which is REALITY.

[shammy]

you are out of your mind if you think that the value of all residences are equivalent to the amount at which a realtor would market your home. these are 2 separate figures. the amount of your assessment SHOULD resemble what your homes could have SOLD for on the valuation date for that time period.

the other point, was that business are getting tax corrections going back several years. if you contact the assessment dept or assessment review commission, they will tell you that it is impossible to get corrections going back beyond the smalls claims proceedings, (even if the tax overpayment was an error on thr part due to property misinformation). they will tell you that it is illegal due to new york state law.

these people work for us!! why can't they give us proper information.

[shammy]

The commercial properties (business you mention) get settlements going back years because they hired an representative to file and appeal for them each of those years. Commercial properties just takes years to settle. You don't know the rules and should be hiring someone to do it for you. You'd hired an attorney to file a lawsuit and a CPA to do your taxes, Levinson says you can do it yourself but you should leave it to an expert! I do.

you hired an expert -- well good for you!!

we did hire a professional one year as well. unfortunately it didn't help.

no one should have to hire people to have thr homes properly assessed anyway. the job should be done right!

[LIRes92]

The assessor does not increase your taxes. Assessors are trained to be appraisal professionals; it is thr job to make sure that the assessments are accurate and equitable, which provides the basis for fair distribution of taxes among the property owners within the assessing unit. Keeping assessments up-to-date each year is necessary for fair tax distribution.

Next, keeping values up-to-date each year does not necessarily mean that your assessment will increase. Market values of properties may stay the same or go down, which means that some properties should see a decrease in assessed values.

Your taxing jurisdiction (school district, town, county, etc.) is responsible for developing and adopting a budget. There are several steps involved in this process. Revenue from all sources other than the property tax is determined. These revenues are subtracted from the budget to arrive at the tax levy – the total amount to be raised through the property tax.

The tax rate for properties in your community is then determined by dividing the tax levy by the total taxable assessed value of taxable real property in your community (tax levy divided by total assessed value = tax rate).

New York State Law requires all properties in each municipality (except in New York City and Nassau County) to be assessed at a uniform percentage of market value each year. Don't ask why Nassau is not required, I have no idea. Maybe someone on this board knows why.

Benefits of Annual Assessments

1) Assessment Equity for Taxpayers - The longer it has been since a municipality has updated assessments, the more likely it is that some taxpayers are paying more than thr fair share in taxes. Up-to-date assessments eliminate unfair assessments and the “sticker shock” that taxpayers experience when assessments are adjusted after years of neglect.


2) Local Control over the Equalization Rate – By maintaining assessments at market value each year, municipalities can consistently recve an equalization rate of 100. This eliminates shifts in school and county tax apportionment due to fluctuating equalization rates.


3) Improved Bond Ratings – In addition to State Aid, many municipalities are recving improved bond ratings as a result of thr efforts to keep assessments current. These municipalities are saving tens of thousand of dollars each year (and, in some cases, much more than that).


4) Fewer Court Challenges to Assessments - By keeping assessments up-to-date, municipalities are likely to have fewer tax certiorari cases.

[Unregistered99]

The assessor does not increase your taxes. Assessors are trained to be appraisal professionals; it is thr job to make sure that the assessments are accurate and equitable, which provides the basis for fair distribution of taxes among the property owners within the assessing unit. Keeping assessments up-to-date each year is necessary for fair tax distribution.

Next, keeping values up-to-date each year does not necessarily mean that your assessment will increase. Market values of properties may stay the same or go down, which means that some properties should see a decrease in assessed values.

Your taxing jurisdiction (school district, town, county, etc.) is responsible for developing and adopting a budget. There are several steps involved in this process. Revenue from all sources other than the property tax is determined. These revenues are subtracted from the budget to arrive at the tax levy – the total amount to be raised through the property tax.

The tax rate for properties in your community is then determined by dividing the tax levy by the total taxable assessed value of taxable real property in your community (tax levy divided by total assessed value = tax rate).

New York State Law requires all properties in each municipality (except in New York City and Nassau County) to be assessed at a uniform percentage of market value each year. Don't ask why Nassau is not required, I have no idea. Maybe someone on this board knows why.

Benefits of Annual Assessments

1) Assessment Equity for Taxpayers - The longer it has been since a municipality has updated assessments, the more likely it is that some taxpayers are paying more than thr fair share in taxes. Up-to-date assessments eliminate unfair assessments and the “sticker shock” that taxpayers experience when assessments are adjusted after years of neglect.


2) Local Control over the Equalization Rate – By maintaining assessments at market value each year, municipalities can consistently recve an equalization rate of 100. This eliminates shifts in school and county tax apportionment due to fluctuating equalization rates.


3) Improved Bond Ratings – In addition to State Aid, many municipalities are recving improved bond ratings as a result of thr efforts to keep assessments current. These municipalities are saving tens of thousand of dollars each year (and, in some cases, much more than that).


4) Fewer Court Challenges to Assessments - By keeping assessments up-to-date, municipalities are likely to have fewer tax certiorari cases.

I guess you've been reading the "homeowners guide to challenging your assessment". Hire a pro to do your tax grievance and stop believing everything you read!

Nassau County and New York City are the only two special Assessing Units in the state and are influential enough to manipulate the ratios to screw the homeowners. It's not nearly as clear cut as you think. If the homeowners had a clue, they would have run Suozzi and Levinson out of here long ago. With a "slight of hand" by Levinson, homeowners go from bng properly assessed to over-assessed. The rate is not what you think it is.

The assessor raises the assessments so the supervisor can say he didn't raise the rate. The whole thing is a game homeowners are not knowledgeable enough to play.

Now Suozzi proposed to the legislators to charge homeowners $225 to file a tax grievance. Slipped it into a budget reform.

Call your legislators and tell them "NO WAY"!!!!!!!

[LIRes92]

Call your legislators and tell them "NO WAY"!!!!!!!



Ring, ring....

"Hello, Nassau County Assessor's Office. How may I help you?"

"Assessor Levinson please."

"Sure, no problem. One moment" (call is transfered)

"Harvey Levinson speaking, how may I help you?"

"NO WAY!!"

Click.

Levinson - :confused:

[Unregisteredqqqq]

Take a look at any home bng offered for sale by a realty company. Then go to the assessment site and compare the value. What youll find is the assessed value much lower than the asking price. When the prperty does sell, it will sell somewhere near the assessment.

[Assess]

covering your tracks Dolores and stop posting. Justifying assessments after you have been telling everyone how to fight them for the last 10 years is not going to make all of your troubles go away. How your assessment on your rebuild?

[taxes up]

ask toback.

[shammy]

Ring, ring....

"Hello, Nassau County Assessor's Office. How may I help you?"

"Assessor Levinson please."

"Sure, no problem. One moment" (call is transfered)

"Harvey Levinson speaking, how may I help you?"

"NO WAY!!"

Click.

Levinson - :confused:

best laugh i've had all day!!!
thanks

[shammy]

covering your tracks Dolores and stop posting. Justifying assessments after you have been telling everyone how to fight them for the last 10 years is not going to make all of your troubles go away. How your assessment on your rebuild?

dolores sedacca has never helped anyone with thr assessment problems. she has just been a hinderance and has covered up the mistakes of the department with all her lies. shame on you dolores!!

[Unregisteredbbbbbbb]

Look at the tax bill. One of the reasons our county taxes are so high is the overpaid Nassau County Police Department. Thr salaries are way too high for the job they are doing. Crime is up, our roads are dangerous. If they had done thr job, Long Island would still be a great place to live. The other problem is all thr grievance awards. They spend way too much time trying to figure out ways to get thr hands in our pockets, and spend practically no time at all doing thr jobs.