anita wrote:


Are there any grounds for contesting this assessment ? Or do we have
to
just live with it- because by buying this house we have PROVED that
the
assessment is close to its market value. It does not seem fair that
this
property has such a high tax compared to its neighbours twice the
size of
the lot, and newer buildings, better maintained etc.,

Well, the way it works around here, is they don't reassess until
someone sells the house. So all our neighbors who've lived here for
decades have much, MUCH lower assessments than ours, regardless of any
additions, renovations, etc they've made through the years.

After we bought this place, it didn't take too long for the tax
assessor to come out and have a look-see. They raised our assessment,
as we'd been warned would happen by the agents and my lawyer. The
assessment compared our house to other houses that had currently sold -
NOT those houses in our neighborhood that hadn't changed ownership in
decades.

Is it fair? I dunno. I suppose if I was retired, on a fixed income, and
my kids were grown, I'd be very glad not to have my taxes raised every
year. So I take the long view on this - it's not just about me. And,
frankly, why shouldn't I pay more taxes since my kids are attending the
schools? The schools are why we moved here in the first place.

jen