Perry County Times: Tax Appeals Can Result in Heavier Homeowner Levy

In many jurisdictions, it's protest season for property tax assessments. Community members are often unsure of how the process works when they visit their tax assessment appeals board. Perry County, Pennsylvania, chief tax assessor Randy Waggoner explains the process to the Perry County Times:

If you don't think you're getting a fair deal on your county property taxes, you can challenge your assessment until September. But be careful what you wish for because an appeal won't guarantee a property tax reduction. "That's my biggest frustration," said Randy Waggoner, Perry County chief tax assessor, "that their assessment could be higher, but they don't understand." Waggoner has been the tax assessor in Perry County for 14 years, and altogether has spent 34 years doing the job including service in Cumberland County. He sees a lot of people come to the tax assessment appeals board thinking it's a political process. They talk about their inability to pay or their dislike of their tax level. They think that determines a ruling and a downgrade. But that's not the case; those, are not relevant in tax assessment. "We can hear only testimony to whether your assessment is accurate," Waggoner said.

Find out how Perry County officials handle appeals and what role Pictometry® imagery from EagleView plays in the process. Read the rest >>