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How Does Washington County Describe Reassessment?

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As mentioned in yesterday’s Blog, Washington County is currently undergoing the initial stages of data collection in preparation for a reassessment, one that is expected to go into effect in 2017.  We noted that the County hoped that the state Supreme Court would hear its case last year, but that did not happen, so the reassessment is going forward.

The County has a page on its website that offers answers to taxpayer questions about the reassessment, including the “million dollar question” that all taxpayers want to know the answer to: “How will Reassessment affect my taxes?”

Now, officials who are opposed or reluctant can come up with a multitude of answers to this question, mostly focused on how a reassessment equals a tax increase.  None of the commissioners in Washington County was eager to move forward with it, and, correctly, pointed out the deficiency in state law on mandating a cycle.  And though they often pointed to what they felt was a mess in Allegheny County (mostly based on the number of appeals), here is what the Allegheny County website still says about how to determine what will happen to property taxes when there is a reassessment.

Estimating Your County Taxes 

Although not foolproof, you can estimate what will happen with your Allegheny County taxes by using the 27% statistic and your own increase to determine if your taxes will increase, decrease or stay the same.

  • If the 2013 court-ordered reassessment value for your property is lower than 27%, you should see a reduction in your county property taxes in 2013.
  • If the 2013 court-ordered reassessment value for your property is higher than 27%, you may see an increase in your county property taxes in 2013.

So what does Washington County’s site say in response to the question?  “By itself, a Reassessment is revenue neutral, although it will cause tax burden shifts among properties. Some owners will see increases while others will see decreases, and yet others will remain approximately the same.”

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Allegheny Institute
Allegheny Institute

The Allegheny Institute is a non-profit research and education organization. Our mission is to defend the interests of taxpayers, citizens and businesses against an increasingly burdensome and intrusive government.

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