Fewer Property Owners Than Expected File Informal Appeals Of Property Assessments
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Nutter Administration says about 22,000 homeowners had requested informal appeals of their new property assessments. That's about 5 percent of residential properties.
What they're calling a 'first level review' of assessments is really an informal discussion between the property owner and the assessor.
Mark McDonald, the mayor's spokesman, says whether a homeowner has this review or not, they still can file for an actual appeal later.
"It still enables people to file a formal appeal with the BRT, the Board of Revision of Taxes, as late as October 7th."
Officials had expected about 30,000 requests of first level reviews. McDonald's spin on the lower tally: many people are on board with their new value.
"There are a very large number of individuals who are pretty satisfied, think the assessment is pretty close to what they think they could sell their property for."
Some on City Council disagree, and therein lies the focus of the debate over the Actual Value Initiative.
