Property Reassessment

March 3, 2010

Assessment appeals can backfire

Lower valuations reached through court-level mediation are sometimes being increased again by appeal board if appeal filed for 2010.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Some Luzerne County property owners are getting assessment reductions through court-level mediation, only to learn that new appeals they filed for 2010 are jacking up their values again.

It happened to Ronald and Janice Shadder.

The couple’s Conyngham property was valued at $198,900 through the county reassessment, so they appealed. The county assessment appeal board reduced the value to $172,200.

Armed with an appraisal valuing the property at $133,000, the couple advanced to the next step, court-level mediation.

Earlier this month, the couple settled on a $135,000 value at mediation.

But, their attorney had also advised them to file an appeal for 2010. They didn’t realize the board’s decision regarding that appeal would supersede any decision they received at mediation.

In October, the county assessment appeals board ruled the value should remain at $172,200.

The couple learned something was amiss when they recently received their 2010 tax bills based on the $172,200 value.

County Assessor’s Office Director Tony Alu said he has received several calls from property owners who are in similar situations. He said the mediation value would have remained in effect if the couple had not filed the 2010 appeal.

“When you file an appeal, you open up the value again,” Alu said, noting that the appeal board could opt to reduce, increase or keep values the same.

Roughly 2,000 property owners filed appeals for 2010. County officials did not know how many had pending mediations.

“There were a lot of people who still wanted to file a formal appeal for 2010, even though their mediation hadn’t been resolved,” Alu said.

Ronald Shadder, a Conyngham councilman, was stunned. It’s too late to file for mediation again on his 2010 value because he missed the deadline.

“This is unreal,” he said. “There’s no logic in it.”

He said he can’t understand how two county entities could come up with different values.

“Somehow, somebody should have their feet held to the fire for this,” he said.

Alu said the county appeals board operates independently.

In comparison, mediation settlements must be approved by the property owner and county assessment office solicitor David Schwager to take effect, though Schwager has said that he seeks feedback from assessment-office certified evaluators before he agrees to reductions.

About 2,000 property owners had sought court-level mediation after reassessment, and the county has settled more than half of the cases since mediation started in December 2008.

Unaware of the development, Virginia Shadder had reached out to taxpayer advocate Michelle Boice of Harveys Lake, urging her to advise property owners to make sure the county and municipal tax bills arriving in the mail are based on the correct assessments. Virginia said she did not want people to unknowingly overpay.

Boice said she knows of many people who filed 2010 appeals as they waited for pending mediations.

“These are things that should have been explained to the people,” Boice said. “I think it’s another failed communication between our county government and the citizens.”

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