I read this editorial this morning, and then Mom called, seeing RED. I could hear the anger eminating all the way down here.
Mr Griffin has absolutely no clue. We're not disputing the assessment LEVEL, it's the missed properties, ignored parcels and gross injustice done to Rotterdam by not including ALL taxable property.
I’m writing as a former executive director of the state Office of Real Property Services (ORPS) and a real property taxpayer. I see an all-too-familiar but discouraging pattern to the events in Rotterdam described in the article.
If Mr. Griffen holds these credentials, I would have thought that he was aware that the complaint was exactly as MT's mom stated. There were missed properties and incorrect assessments. If Mr. Griffen's expert opinion is correct in saying that this is an all-too-familiar pattern, than this just supports the action that the Town of Rotterdam is pursuing with GAR. And that agencies such as GAR are missing properties and assessing them incorrectly and need to be held accountable.
Really. Look at it this way. When the school taxes came through for last year, every single person who lives in Schalmont School District overpaid in taxes. If one property in Schalmont School District isn't on the rolls, it means that everyone that IS on the rolls overpaid.
So, what is our compensation? How do we get our money back??? Or will we ever?
Really. Look at it this way. When the school taxes came through for last year, every single person who lives in Schalmont School District overpaid in taxes. If one property in Schalmont School District isn't on the rolls, it means that everyone that IS on the rolls overpaid.
So, what is our compensation? How do we get our money back??? Or will we ever?
For those that care, I spoke to the Assessor's Office today. Grievance Day is May 27th. You must file paperwork with the Assessor's Office prior to May 19th if you intend to contest your`assessment. The Assessor is offering appointments to discuss (and possibly come to an agreement) beforehand.
I have a good friend who lives off of Gifford Church Road. They asked me if my house had been reassessed and I told them "no". They said that there house was reassessed within the last few weeks. Their assessement went up by $15,000. They are going to call Mr. Surprise for an explaination.
ROTTERDAM Random check of property values planned BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
A review of Rotterdam’s revaluation will begin next month with an examination of a random cross-section of the town’s property cards. Representatives from the Buffalo-based Emminger, Hyatt, Newton & Pigeon Inc. will select roughly 800 properties in the town and then individually visit them to determine the accuracy of information recorded during the reassessment last year. The inspection of the properties will be conducted without guidance from town Assessor Craig Surprise, so they can give an unbiased report. “They’re totally independent of me,” he said. “I don’t want to have any input into it.” The town is expected to use the study as way to determine if GAR Associates, the Amherst-based private appraisal firm, lived up to its contractual obligations during the revaluation. Town officials allocated $30,000 for the study last month after Surprise identified a number of flagrant inaccuracies in the property tax roll. Rotterdam’s equalization rate has been projected to drop down to 95 percent, according to figures submitted to the state by the town. The drop means the average property value in the town is underassessed, said Geoff Gloak, a spokesman for the state Office of Real Property Services. Surprise said there were 144 property transactions between July and December 2007. He said 109 of these sales were for a higher price than the assessments determined during the revaluation. “If your sales are higher than your assessments, your equalization rate is going to drop,” he said. Meanwhile, the town’s Board of Assessment Review is gearing up to hear property grievances today at Town Hall. Surprise said he’s scheduled 45 hearings, markedly fewer than the roughly 350 grievances filed the previous year. Surprise said most of the grievances concern residential properties. He said nine commercial property owners have filed for a hearing, including Rite Aid, Price Chopper and Wal-Mart. However, the town won’t need to contend with several large commercial property owners that have traditionally grieved their assessments on an almost annual basis. Earlier this month, town officials inked a deal with Macerich Co., the owner of the Rotterdam Square Mall, preventing the company from contesting its assessment until 2010.
Representatives from the Buffalo-based Emminger, Hyatt, Newton & Pigeon Inc. will select roughly 800 properties in the town and then individually visit them to determine the accuracy of information recorded during the reassessment last year.
I know that some properties were NOT visually looked at by GAR. Did this new Buffalo company say when their findings would become public? How long will this process take?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The big question is will we get a fair assessment by the company doing to new spot check on the reval. It's pretty bad when we can't really trust people to do their jobs accurately and honestly so that we feel that we were treated fairly.
Town of Rotterdam Attn: Ben Dover Sunrise Blvd Rotterdam NY 12306
(Just kidding folks, but it would be funny if they started getting a ton of mail address to ole Ben )
Oh how bad you are. Here I am, scrolling down, reading these posts, drinking some ice tea and I almost choked. I'm going to stop having food or drink at the computer
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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