We noted earlier this year that Blair County–which had not reassessed since 1958–was updating its property values. We also noted around the time of the Allegheny County reassessment and in a Brief earlier this year that taxing bodies are subject to statutory limitations on how their real estate taxes can increase following a reassessment. For Blair County and its municipalities it is Act 93 of 2010, which applies to counties that are not second class (Allegheny).
Under that law, taxing bodies must establish a revenue neutral rate and can then in a separate action increase taxes up to 10%. That’s what the City of Altoona is planning to do in the near future. The City is in Act 47 status and it previously only taxed land, not buildings. That will change for the City. Based on the 2012 recovery plan and what was mentioned in the article, the City in 2012 levied no millage on buildings and 372 mills on land value. The new rate with the allowable increase under Act 93 will be 5.31 mills on land and buildings.
