Rutland Town readies for reappraisal results
Toolbox
By PATRICIA MINICHIELLO Staff Writer - Published: June 27, 2009
As listers in Rutland Town wrap up a townwide reappraisal that began in 2007, they also contemplate an across-the-board adjustment.
Lister Howard Burgess said he plans to have one more conversation with listers and appraisers to determine whether an adjustment is needed before change-of-appraisal notices are mailed in July.
"If the listers and appraisers feel the assessments are out of line, whether higher or lower, an adjustment could be made across the board," Burgess said.
"We're prepared to do that, but we haven't done our final analysis. From what I'm seeing, I'm not seeing the real need to do it," he said.
Steve Wright, of Wright Appraisal Co., the firm hired to reappraise approximately 1,900 parcels, said although the national housing market has seen a drop of 20 percent on average, Rutland Town is not seeing such a dip.
"We don't have the data that indicates it's an across-the-board 20 percent," Wright said, adding that his company will not defend an adjustment.
"Wright Appraisal would walk away from anything like that. If you start mentioning an across-the-board adjustment, you're going to throw your equalization study out of whack and then they're going to say we did a lousy job. So it's a no-win situation for us. At this point we turn the appraisal over to the town. If the town decides to do something about it, it's the town's responsibility, not Wright Appraisal," Wright said.
During the appraisal process, Wright said people in Rutland Town were very receptive to home visits and as a result, Wright entered a higher percentage of houses than ever before.
Wright has been in business for 30 years and has reappraised about 40 towns.
Appraisal notices will be mailed to all Rutland Town residents by the second week in July.
The notices list everyone's appraised property values and information on the grievance process, including hearing dates and how to call and make grievance appointments. A date for a public information meeting will also be included in the mailing.
Grievances will be scheduled 14 days after notices are mailed and will be heard first by the listers and appraisers and subsequently by a Board of Civil Authority on an as-need basis.
Burgess said his office has already received several phone calls from residents asking, "How will this affect my taxes?"
At this time, he said he doesn't know because the tax rate is based on the statewide education tax rate and per-pupil spending on the school side.
"We would like to think the tax burden will remain the same. When your grand list grows your tax rates shrinks. But at this point it's hard to tell," Burgess said.
"It's difficult times for everyone and everyone's concerned and we've done our best to stick with the market," Burgess said.
The last time the town did a reappraisal was 1998, the same year Act 60 passed. Before that was in 1968.
patricia.minichiello@rutlandherald.com.
32