Allegheny County judge strikes blow to 'newcomer tax'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An Allegheny County Common Pleas judge has struck a blow to the so-called "newcomer tax."
In an order, Judge Alan Hertzberg ordered the recalculation of assessments on 750 new home sales. The ruling will result in lower assessments and lower taxes for those new home buyers.
In a lawsuit, a group of those buyers accused the county and local school district of "sales chasing," immediately appealing the assessments on new home sales.
Most homes in the county are assessed at a so-called "base year" rate established in 2012, but the new home buyers were assessed at much higher rates.
