| Author |
Message |
    
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 2:49 pm: |     |
Vic's out of town and asked me to post this announcement: Certified Valuation is sending letters to every person that had a hearing with them. These 1300 letters will be in the mail by close of business TODAY, Friday Jan 19.
Also I expect a revision to the Jan 10 statistical summary very shortly as well. |
Ffof
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 2:54 pm: | |
Jerry- How about those who still need to meet with Certified? Is the Jan 24th date still in effect? |
Pstob1126
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 4:33 pm: | |
Jerry- I've got a concern similar to that of Ffof (above). I was about to leave on extended business travel when I got my notice from Certified in November. As suggested in the letter, I wrote with my concerns. When I didn't get a response, I wrote again (January 2nd). I've yet to get the "response" referred to in Certified's original letter.
Sadly, there was never any guidance as to submitting documentation to Certified for consideration. I only found that out by following the threads on this board. I just sent Certified my past appraisals this week. Will they even be looked at?
Frankly, the lack of communication between the Town government and its' citizens it quite disconcerting to me. Early in the process everyone should have been made aware of the procedures to be followed if we disagreed with the findings of Certified... that's "due process," no? |
Eliz
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 4:54 pm: | |
Why don't you call Certified directly and arrange a meeting? As of earlier today they still had slots open for Tuesday. |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 4:56 pm: | |
The Essex County Tax Board is holding a special meeting on Monday morning Jan 22 to consider Maplewood's request for an additional extension of the filing deadlines.
Certified is STILL meeting with people this week and will continue to meet with folks.
Any hearings that happened this week will not be reflected in the batch of letters that went out today; those additional letters will be sent out shortly. |
Overtaxdalready
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 4:57 pm: | |
Pstob, when you meet with them make sure they give you a copy of the measurements they used for your house. We got a copy and found out that they had an error that resulted in an overstatement in the size of our house. |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 5:08 pm: | |
Pstob1126: If you don't get a letter in the mail as a result of today's mailing then you should call Certified or the Assessor.
I think that the town has tried from the beginning to communicate all the details of this process, and told people about meeting with Certified. It is clear that part of the process broke down because, in a number of cases I have heard about, Certified did not handle meetings with individuals in a helpful and respectful manner. When we found this out, we told Certified to please change their ways and share all information with people; it appears that until very recently they did not do so. For this we are all profoundly sorry, though I suspect that it would not have made the tax bite for some people any easier to take. |
Thomas
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 5:57 pm: | |
Jerry
Thanks for making that statement, I'v been pulling my hair out after my meeting and repeated phone calls with Certified. They gave absolutely no information on thier method for determining value. If they would have entered into dialog with homeowners maybe they would have gained the infomation to remedy some of the problems we are faced with.
I called Certified yesterday and left a message on thier mechine, do you think they will return the call? |
Eliz
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 7:45 pm: | |
I called late this morning and got a call back within 2 hours. |
Tomr
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 8:59 pm: | |
Jerry,
I've got a meeting scheduled with Certified Valuation on Monday. What information should I expect their representative to provide? To what information are we entitled?
Again, thanks. You have been most helpful throughout the various threads with the information you have been able to provide. |
Lah
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 9:21 pm: | |
Hi all - I live on the west side of town and met with Certified today re: my assessment. Apparently, they have decided to re-do certain neighborhoods on the west side. Part of their formula apparently involved a "neighborhood charge" (or some such thing). It used to range from $100K to $220K (i.e., no matter where you are in Maplewood, your property is worth at least $100K, or at least it appears that way based on my conversation with the Certified rep). Many homes on the western side of town were assessed $220K just for being where they are (which probably explains why 2 bedroom homes are being valued above $400K). Certified has now knocked down the highest "neighborhood charge" from $220K to $170K. In other words, many homes on the west side have now gone down in assessed value terms by $50K. I believe that is basically what these new letters will say. I still have concerns about the whole process because my information (like others) was plagued with minor factual errors (I don't have a dinette/butlers pantry nor do I have a dormer). I am also a bit surprised that my little shed is adding $1000 to my assessed value. I wonder how much a swingset gets assessed for??? If you haven't met with Certified, it's probably worth your while, just for the education of it. |
Ffof
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 9:22 pm: | |
Hey, they underestimated my square footage! If i don't tell should i feel guilty? |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 9:36 pm: | |
You want a copy of your property record card (the thing the TC'd been asking Certified to give to people that they are FINALLY giving out). This shows EVERYTHING about your property including a drawing of the house, room counts and sizes, replacement costs and amortization factors. |
Ffof
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 9:43 pm: | |
Why didn't they give them out in the first place? |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 9:50 pm: | |
Beats the excrement out of me. We told them to, they told us they would, they didn't. We told them again, they told us they would, they didn't.
Given everything that's been said about the TC's management of this issue, I can't pass up this opportunity to point out that all these discussions happened at regularly scheduled open public Township Committee meetings last year. |
Ffof
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 9:59 pm: | |
wouldn't this lack of communication have given you guys the "heads up" on the weakness of the Certified Val. company? you know, with hold payment or something? |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 10:17 pm: | |
It wasn't a "lack of communication" it was a miscommunication about what they said they were doing in citizen meetings versus what they actually did. Their public relations was a weakness, as we all learned; however the contract was paid based on progress in the schedule of house inspections. |
Rob
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 10:31 pm: | |
Jerry:
Is it true that the assessed values of homes on the West side are being reduced by $50,000? I thought any action had to be across the board. I don't live on the West side. Will my assessed value be reduced by $50,000? If not, my taxes just went up more that before. Am I being penalized for not loudly vocalizing my displeasure with my tax increase? |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 10:37 pm: | |
It is true that there are adjustments being made by the assessor. I do not know what the adjustments are or where they are being made. I know that the assessor was looking at the entire town. |
Ffof
| | Posted on Friday, January 19, 2001 - 11:28 pm: | |
Rob-i believe just the "mill" rate will change and that your assessment will stay the same. |