When it comes to Allegheny County Tax Assessment, you want a fair assessment of your property so that you pay a fair amount in property tax. But with a variety of issues occuring with the Allegheny County assessment system, it’s been difficult for homeowners to get the valuation they deserve. With reassessment workers having been fired, are we now in better hands? We’ll break it down for you.

Negligent & Unlicensed Appraisals Spark Outrage

Allegheny County Tax Assessment Workers Falsify Property Information

From July 2010 through November 2010, Allegheny County has been sending property assessors to visit more than 500,000 properties in Allegheny County. These workers are hired to verify property descriptions such as square footage and condition of the properties. The information is important because it will help determine property taxes for the 2012 Allegheny County Property Reassessment. You are under no legal obligation to allow assessors onto your property or into your home.

Channel 4 News in Pittsburgh released a report indicating that some of these workers had been penalized by a state licensing board for negligently performing appraisals. Others, falsified the status of their real estate licenses and claimed that they were licensed when in fact they were not.

Can Allegheny County Accurately Deliver Property Assessments?

How a bad track record and difficulty hiring could affect future assessments

The issue again questions the competency of Allegheny County to accurately deliver property assessments and specifically their ability to do an accurate reassessment. Since 2002, over 200,000 property tax appeals have been filed in Allegheny County. It is estimated that more than 50% of the properties in Allegheny County have been the subject of an Allegheny County property tax assessment appeal since 2002. If the county cannot accurately complete the hiring process, many doubt their ability to deliver accurate property assessments.

What Comes Next for Allegheny County Tax Assessments?

The three tiered tax appeals process begins

The new 2012 reassessments are scheduled to be released in early 2011, so that a 3 tiered tax appeals process can begin. The new 2012 assessments will not go into effect until 2012, and every property owner in Allegheny County will have the opportunity to challenge their assessment prior to the 2012 tax bills being received.

We will continue to update our clients and the public about the status of the 2012 Allegheny County Property Reassessments. If you have any questions or concerns, get in touch with the Allegheny county  tax assessment experts, Flaherty & Fardo. We offer free consultations and will work hard to help you get the assessment you want and deserve.