| Author |
Message |
    
sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 8
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 4:47 pm: | 
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We recently renovated our kitchen, the other day the tax man came and asked me to call for an appointment so they could review the new kitchen. Anyone know how it will change my tax bill???? Since we did not add living space or a new bathroom..I am hoping that impact will be small. |
Dan Shelffo
Citizen
Username: Openspacer
Post Number: 53
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 5:07 pm: |
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There is a program is S.O. where you can get a five year abatement on the first $15,000 worth of improvements.
Ask the tax man about it.
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Jeff Alexander
Citizen
Username: Jalexander
Post Number: 33
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 8:52 am: |
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When we moved into our home, we bought it from a company that had foreclosed on it and redid the (trashed) bathrooms and kitchen with the cheapest possible materials.
Almost immediately, we were nailed over 30k in assessed valuation, which coincidentally just happened to take us to the exact amount that was the maximum amount the house could be assessed based on the purchase price. We appealed and lost because of what we had paid for the house (the assessor agreed that there was no way the company put 30k into the house BUT, since we paid whatever for the house..). Welcome to South Orange!
Nice move, Mr Tax Man.. I'm still furious over that stunt |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 254
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 10:41 am: |
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Welcome to South Orange. The whole matter of tax assessments is what got me started in my "activisim" in the first place. I have already described my experience with the process elsewhere on this forum resulting in my being assessed $50,000 -70,000 more than comparable houses which translates into $2500 - 3500 more in taxes.
Don't even ask about the house on one side of me which when I appealed was in good condition and was and is assessed $100,000 less than mine.
Or don't ask about the house on the other side which had been assessed at $400,000 in 1991 and never appealed. When the owner tried to sell the house in 2000,the real estate agent told him the reason it wasn't selling was that the assessment was too high. The real estate agent was able to get the assessment reduced to $300,000 in 2001 and then immediately it was put on the market and sold for $450,000. For those of you who understand the working of tax assessments and appeals, you now have a pretty good idea why I have becoms an activist in anything in South Orange pertaining to taxes.
Oh, by the way, before I forget don't ask me about the fact that when I installed new cabinets in my kitchen in 2000 no one at village hall told me about the five year tax abatement and my assessment was increased. Do I have questions about the way things are conducted in South Orange - yes I do. And by the way, my wife's family moved to South Orange 50 years ago and we're living in the same house. I always thought S.O. was run in a much more businesslike and efficient manner. I've learned otherwise. |
sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 9
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 9:02 am: |
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Thanks for all the info, it is helpful. |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 258
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 9:13 am: |
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sylad: After my experience where no one in village hall even informed me that I would be eligible for an abatement, I suggested to the Village President that information regarding the abatement be included with the building permit. Assuming you got a building permit for your renovation, was there any information about the abatement included? |
sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 13
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 1:18 pm: |
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Nothing regarding an abatement was provided to me. |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 259
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 2:04 pm: |
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Thanks sylad. Messrs. Rosner and Gross: At the trustees' meeting when the tax abatement ordinance was renewed for another five years, Bill Calabrese asked either Mr. Gross or Tony Grenci to make sure that information regarding the eligibility of a homeowner to apply for an abatement was attached to the building permit. I had suggested this to Bill since, based on my experience,there was no sure way for a homeowner to know that it existed. Bill agreed. This probably fell between the cracks. |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 207
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 2:23 pm: |
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so...I'm about to replace the kitchen floor (20+ year old lino) with ceramic.
I'm assuming this would not impact the assessment.
BUT say I was putting in new granite counters and granite/marble floors -- or whatever -- would that make a difference?
..and is it based on construction value or assessed value (say I did all the work myself vs a contractor).
and no -- last year when I added a 2nd central air unit (and got a permit) never heard anything about the tax abatement...ummm
Pete |
scollins
Citizen
Username: Scollins
Post Number: 39
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 2:35 pm: |
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The heck with the five year abatement, go for the PILOT.
Lets declare all of South Orange to be in need of re-development. Then grant everybody PILOT status.
We would then be free of Essex county taxes and Maplewood would have to pay for the schools.
And in thirty years, when the program ends, it will be our children's problem.
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mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 554
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 3:29 pm: |
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DoubleA: Info was put in the Gaslight and on the website. Not all construction projects are eligible for the "abatement", but when a permit is granted and it looks like a person might be eligible they are called by the tax assesor.
PeteGlider: Please call the tax assesor if you have questions about how the program works and what qualifies.
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doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 260
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 4:13 pm: |
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mrosner: You are absolutely wrong. The tax abatement must be applied for within 90 days after completion of a project. Many times the tax assesor won't get involved until August of a year, which could be well after the 90 days. That is why I suggested informing homeowners when the permit is issued. Why don't you check with the tax assessor? She agreed with me and so did Bill. You can also check the minutes of the meeting when the tax abatement ordinance was renewed. Then you can get back to me and send out notices to everyone who was eligable to apply for an abatement but were never so advised. |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 261
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 4:21 pm: |
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By the way, I have been informed by John Gross that South Orange now has a system in place to follow up on building permits. Previously, homeowners would get a building permit for a job, put it in their window and leave it in their window for the duration of the work, but never call to have a final inspection. Thus, no additional assessment was ever made. And no one from the building department ever followed up. Some jobs had been completed for probably 10 years. Has some follow-up system been introduced? |
sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 14
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 4:49 pm: |
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Tax assessor is out of town..if there is a 90 day window... my window will expire before she gets back...what then????? I have left a message with voicemail. My general question is what is the imapct of a renovation that does not increase living space or add a bathroom? Our kitchen was functional and not that old, we just wanted to update the look and replace the table area with an island. One of the largest line items in our cost was the cost the new appliances and lighting fixtures and those elements are not a part of the house, we would probably take them if we moved within 5 years. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 555
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 4:52 pm: |
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doublea: I got the information on the procedures from John Gross. Since you say there is a problem with the process, I will put it on the agenda for the next planning & Zoning meeting. As far as I know, the new system for letting people know has been working. |
sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 15
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 4:53 pm: |
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mrosner: Can you provide the requirements for abatement, who qualifies, etc. ..since tax accessor is away....or direct me to someone that can?
Thanks |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 262
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 4:59 pm: |
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The process I suggested and which was agreed to last year was pretty straight forward. Since the date for applying for the abatement is tied to completion of the project, which in most cases is the final inspection, a piece of of paper explaining the fact that a project might be eligible for an abatement can be included in the package of information when a building permit is issued. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 556
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 10:08 am: |
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Sylad: Anyone who wants information can either contact John Gross while the tax assesor is on vacation. He will get you the information. I will suggest that we put it on the website again (and maybe put on there permanently?).
Doublea: There is a system and a decision was made not to include the information with every package but for a follow-up to be made by the tax assesor for situations that qualified.
The next planning and zoning meeting is on 9/22 at 7p.m and maybe you can make it to that meeting to discuss further. |
sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 17
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 10:13 am: |
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Mrosner...thanks, I have done some diging on the NJ tax site....I think that you have to live in an economic development zone...I live near floods hills ...between ridgewood and wyoming...I assume my area does not qualify...do you know if that is correct. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 557
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 10:30 am: |
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I don't think this one is limited to any specific area, but I will check.
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doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 264
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 10:33 am: |
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Mark: As long as there is some system in place so that homeowners know that their particular improvement might be eligible. I only found out about the tax abatement two years after paying the increased assesment, and this was by accident when I was speaking to Patrick Joyce on the street. When the tax assessor sent out the notice of the increased assessment, there was no mention that I might be eligble for a tax abatement. Moreover, when I appeared at a Trustees' meeting and spoke about assessments in general and the fact that I received an additional assessment for the kitchen work, no one from the Village mentioned that there was a tax abatement ordinance. As I said, if there is a system in place now, fine. |
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