Consideration to financially participate in the Mt. Lebanon School District’s involvement in property assessment appeal hearings.
Diversified Municipal Services, Inc. (DMS) represents Mt. Lebanon School District at first-level Allegheny County property assessment appeals. DMS develops evidence in support of sustaining current values on owner-filed appeals and appears at hearings to present the evidence. DMS charges the school district $150 for attending a hearing at which the owner is present and $100 for appearing for a hearing at which the owner does not attend.
It is proposed that the municipality participate in funding this effort.
Recommended Action: Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.
As was pointed out to me in an email:
The municipality is using tax dollars to fight taxpayers who are using their own resources to defend their property value against an inflated tax dollar funded assessment.
"By unlawfully delegating general authority to staff members (to file the appeals) the commission of Mt. Lebanon unlawfully discriminated against the intervenors and those property owners similarly situated in an attempt to require them to bear an unlawful and disproportionate share of the tax burden of Mt. Lebanon"
-Raymond Cromer on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. William Anderson Jr. of 749 Gypsy Lane, published in the Pittsburgh Press 19-MAY-1976 on page 3.
In yet another email:
Where are the Lebo taxpayers who will suffer as a result? Why is there no injunction being filed against the District & Muni by those being affected? Why, why, why, ? ? ? ? Why have we become a herd (not a community) of sheep??
11 comments:
This is a very one sided, discriminatory action by both governing bodies...most of us think of equal protection under the law...why are underassessed properties, particularly those where the 2013 reassessments have been reduced from 2012 levels, not being challenged by the District and Municipality...we all know the particular neighborhoods...they were very color-conspicuous in Tom Moertels BlogLebo map & data postings.
Why aren't the meek little lambs about to be slaughtered by those we have entrusted to our governance screaming ?
Bill Lewis
Please somebody tell me this is a joke!
The recent SD tax hike adds $50 to the bill on a $100,000 home, correct?
So the school district is paying some numbnutz $150 per appeal to see that some poor resident doesn't gettheir assessment knocked down by $20,000, 40,000 or even $100,000.
While there are homes underassessed by hundreds of thousands of dollars from recent sale price that the district/ muni won't say boo about!
We are sheep.
Dave Roberts
A certain super's house was purchased in 2009 for $550,000. It has been reassessed for $503,400. I would guess he will be one of those appealing the reassessment even though it is still underassessed based on what he bought it for; it jumped from $333,100. I guess our tax dollars will be spent on him. A certain SB president bought her house in 2003 for $300,000. It was orginally assessed at $166,500. The new assessment is $258,100 -still under the purchase price. Perhaps, Bill,that is why they aren't going after underassessed properties. I emailed the SB and commission about a property that was purchased in 2011 for $127,000 and now it is assessed at -are you sitting down? - ZERO. But nobody seemed to care.
Elaine
When did the MTLSD approve utilizing the services of Diversified Municipal Services, Inc. (DMS) to represent the Mt. Lebanon School District at first-level Allegheny County property assessment appeals, during an open public meeting? I can't find it on recent agendas or minutes.
David Huston
Elaine, Mr. Houston- perhaps you should ask Dr. S to have a pizza lunch sometime.
From his blog: "Mellon Middle School has awesome students. Today I continued my monthly lunches with middle school students. This group of seventh grade students was very enthusiastic and complimentary of their school. Pizza is always a great conversation starter!"
Might work better and is certainly cheaper than filing RTKs.
And all you middle school students, you might want to ask over pizza why you get marked down on your papers and test for spelling, punctuation and grammar, but those same standards don't apply for the adults working in the district. Might also ask why the plagiarism policy.
Elaine, I can assure you, those 2 properties you mention will NEVER have their assessment values challenged upwards even though Mt Lebanon has a KNOWN HISTORY of going after newly purchased homes to raise the assessment levels to the purchase price.
"Fair share" = your money, not theirs.
In all seriousness, I believe those who play within the rules deserve an answer on why certain property's values are challenged by the school board while others are not.
If evidence of impropriety is discovered such as elected officials influencing re-assessments for their properties, it's time to get the Attorney General involved.
For all the kool-aide drinkers out there. You may find a bug or two in your juice.
From the real estate site Trulia.com in their market watch for MTL.
"Mount Lebanon Summary
The median sales price for homes in Mount Lebanon PA for Feb 12 to Apr 12 was $188,500. This represents a decline of 17.6%, or $40,365, compared to the prior quarter and a decrease of 60.5% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have depreciated 45.7% over the last 5 years in Mount Lebanon. The average listing price for Mount Lebanon homes for sale on Trulia was $270,802 for the week ending May 16, which represents an increase of 3%, or $8,008, compared to the prior week and an increase of 2.9%, or $7,534, compared to the week ending Apr 25. Average price per square foot for Mount Lebanon PA was $126, a decrease of 37.6% compared to the same period last year."
http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Mount_Lebanon-Pennsylvania/market-trends/
Just an FYI.
You'd think with all the "FREE" metered parking and luxurious student parking, people would be lined up with bushels of money to buy homes here! Maybe they're waiting for the field sign income to start rolling in!
Dave Roberts
A question for someone out there that may have the answer.
Lets say you don'rt appeal because after looking at your comparables you decide your property is correctly assessed.
But then down the road you find your comparables all appealed and won and you're high man on the tax totem pole. Can you appeal retroactive since you're now taxed higher than comparable properties?
Shawna Smith
Get involved, contact your local republican representatives and let them know how you feel. According to the MTL republican committee website you could contact Raja, Joe D, or Sue Rose.
A follow up to this agenda item...I questioned this during citizens' comments. It was Dave Brumfield's idea in order "to be fair." As I mentioned during my comments, the people who are appealing their reassessments probably have good reason to appeal. Why not go after the homes which are grossly underassessed? Dave said that the District will be doing that next year.
Kristen Linfante introduced this motion and neither Matt Kluck nor Kelly Fraasch would second it. Therefore, the motion was tabled. Dave Brumfield asked Steve Feller to put it on the agenda for next meeting to try again. John Bendel was not at the meeting tonight.
Elaine
Good vote Matt and Kelly!
How does Brumfield know they'll be going after underassessed homes next year?
If they are under valued why wouldn't the district want to correct it sooner rather than later. Seriously, the district is gambling $40,000 with PK for donations they "hope" to receive. Why wouldn't they go after money they're most likely entitled to?
Possibly because they don't want to go after themselves or their friends!
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