... is among 150 recent homebuyers who consider themselves unfairly targeted by what they call the “Mt. Lebanon Newcomer's Tax.” The municipality last year appealed the assessments of about 150 properties purchased between 2011 and 2012 in which the sale price was at least $48,000 more than the assessment.Couple this news with my "Leboleaks" and toxic artificial turf, it may be a little crowded tonight. Aww. Too bad.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Looks like it is going to be a fun night tonight!
I think it is going to be a little crowded tonight in the Commission Chambers. Bill Zlatos' article in the Trib, Assessment appeals draw Mt. Lebanon residents' ire Some residents who bought their homes in 2011 and 2012 have organized and will come to tonight's meeting.
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71 comments:
New homeowners weren't the only ones hammered in the last assessment as evidenced by the excellent study on Bloglebo.
Wonder how many of these unfairly targeted homeowners voted in the last election and if they did, who they voted for.
How many voted for the Ward 3 commissioner? Check out the housing on Roycroft, for example.
Elaine
The original number of residential properties found to exceed the 15% criterion (i.e. supposedly 2011-2012 sales price > 15% over the county assessed value for that year) was over 450. The commission had only budgeted $25,000 in the 2013 budget to appeal such properties. They decided to appeal only 155 of the over 450 identified properties because of the budget limitation; and, word on the street is that ML won all 155 of them.
I do not know what they plan to do about the remaining 295 or so properties, or if there is a statute of limitations on appeals. The real issue now is what did the 2013 county reassessments do to these properties ? Are they and their neighbors now reassessed in 2014 to reflect actual market values, or have some been reassessed even lower than for 2011-2012 ?
Don't think the 2014 budget includes a provision for further appeals, but the 155 that have been appealed thus far by Mt. Lebanon coupled with likely 2013 inequities are obviously merely the tip of the iceberg. It would seem that the appeals to date may be creating even greater unfairness in affected neighborhoods than what existed previously.
The majority of the commission don't care about what is fair, just want they think is right.
11:56 AM, believe there are federal and state laws that state something about governments being required to treat all fairly and equally. But I agree with you, this commission majority believes and acts otherwise
How do you explain a house that was purchased for $525,000 but assessed at $200,000? And this wasn't one that was appealed either. If you bought a house for X amount than your house should be assessed at that price. That's "Market Value". It's time to do away with the Property Tax as it will never be fair. I'm sure the wonderful State of PA will grant the School Board an exemption so it can AGAIN raise taxes. It's an election year after all!
1:11PM,
I am all for doing away with income/property/corporate/etc tax and go to a straight sales tax on all new goods, ala the Fair Tax. If anyone wants to read up their website is very good and I have two books on it for anyone to borrow. Just email me.
Check out the house at 18 Forest Glen Drive 15228!
They paid $430,000 and are assessed for $286,600.
What a sweetheart deal! No wonder these people are so mad! Do you blame them?
I have made my feelings on personal property real estate taxes known to our Commission, state legislators, readers of this Blog, and almost anyone who was willing to listen. But I wasn't the only one opposed to this archaic taxing scheme; last year there were proposals by some state legislators to eliminate residential property taxes - they all failed.
The current system has a lot of supporters, especially among the various public employee unions. Certainly local governments and school districts like it because it is, in essence, a "bill that must be paid" as opposed to a percentage of a person's actual income produced during a given year. It also has the side benefit of controlling a population by making living in a desirable town a privilege reserved for the wealthy.
As for fairness, don't for one minute think that local politicians give a hoot about the elderly or those who have fallen on hard times - "If you can't afford the tax, get out!; or we'll arrange to take your home and sell it to someone more worthy for back taxes and interest." The elderly do have one other more practical option: die.
Storming a commission or school board meeting on assessments is essentially akin to peeing into the wind.
Your doing something, you'll feel warm for a while, but in the end it will stink even more.
The officials will commiserate with you, understand your pain and exclaim we're trying to be as fair as possible. Unfortunately Brumfield already gave his response (Cappucci, Linfante will use it too) in the newspaper article: 'The assessment process isn't ours to control.'"
But then they'll go back to spending undesignated tax money and reserves on things like artificial turf and $74,000 trophy cases, raises and this one is really pungent... bonuses as fast as is legally possible.
Just keep saying, "I believe, I believe."
This "newcomer tax" happened to my family back in 2001. Our property was assessed at half of what we paid for it. The other homes in the neighborhood were assessed similarly. Lebo appealed our assessment and it was raised to the full purchase price and was frozen like that until the most recent assessment.
It sounds "fair" that the assessed value equals the purchase price however we paid taxes based on that amount (lets say :$275,000) while every other house on our street was assessed at between $68,000 and $160,000). Not one person would have sold their home for that value.
We paid more than our fair share for 11 years until our assessment was reduced in the latest round. There needs to be some type of reform to the property tax system. It just makes no sense as is.
It's the arrogance of certain big mouth municipal employees that stuns me!
What makes even less sense is the county spends millions and millions of dollars reassessing. Admits the system is flawed, then spends millions of dollars more to hear appeals.
Appeals which the municipality and individual homeowners and businesses spend countless money, time and effort on.
For all these hours and all these millions spent, not one road or bridge gets fixed, not one storm drain repaired, not one teacher, policeman or fireman gets hired.
It's a packed room at the municipal building tonight.
People standing in the lobby cannot hear what is being discussed.
They might as well meet behind closed doors.
I just had to step out for a minute. It is packed! It is awesome!
Elaine
I left. As nice as the MTL-touted art deco lobby is, not worth staying. Elaine, can you relay what transpired for those unfortunate enough not to get close to the thrones, er- I mean into the commission room.
It is 9:43 PM, and we're still on citizen comments. I am in my glory!
Elaine
Let me guess... IF (and that's a big IF) the Commission heard any comments from the irate citizens, the only response would be something like, "We will think about it.", or " " [silence].
Most likely, the latter than the former.
Any news?
I just gave the second to the last comment. I know how the vote will go. We all know. I'll let you know officially.
Elaine
Castlegate vote was tabled till the next meeting. Brumfield is the hero tonight.
Newcomers vote is yet to come.
Elaine
Brumfield a hero... Now that's just too funny! You mean Brumfield figures that next meeting will return to normal and we can get down to screwing taxpayers with little notice.
OK, newcomers, here comes the vote about appointing Diversified Municipal Services to represent the municipality in filing appeals for 2014. Oh wait. Bendel just called for an executive session.
Elaine
Ok. They're back. Here it comes. It passed with Bendel voting no and Silverman voting no.
Elaine
How mad were people on that?
When I left, the "newcomers" were outside of the commission chambers talking.
Yes, 11:13 PM, that IS pretty funny. You got that right. It will go through, just a month later.
Elaine
Im just wondering if the local realtors have an opinion. So we have our crown jewel, the high school "renovation" (that will increase taxes significantly to service fewer students than even projected). We have our soon to be next crown jewel with a turfed field, which is toxic and will lead to increased injuries (and possible flooding). We have a "welcome to Lebo, now pay up" tax. And we have the commission admitting the assessment system is a wreck but insisting on going through with it. How exactly does someone find a sucker to buy a house here?
What is this Castlegate stuff that was tabled? Anything about turfing the township?
Castlegate involves rezoning the old DePaul Institute from an R-2 (single family residential district) to R-4 (multi-family mixed residential district.) There were many Brookline residents who were unaware of the public hearing held on February 24, 2014.
Turfing the township, three of us spoke about the way the commissioners are going about turfing Wildcat and Middle. First speaker was Bill Matthews. 25th or 26th speaker was Jim Cannon. And I was the second to the last speaker during Citizens Comments. Bill spoke about how the commission and staff are concentrating on fund raising for the non-municipal share. Jim was really disappointed with the lack of transparency and how I had to file a RTK.Thanks, Jim, for your kind words. And I mentioned briefly how after three hours of citizens comments, that we were just wasting the commissioners' time, since they have already made their decisions.
I feel sorry for the newcomers, since the commission president escaped being assessed the purchased price of her home. It is just another example of her hypocrisy.
Elaine
Did the commission president blow her fuse and have a hissy-fit last night in view of the discussion and regular meeting proceedings ?
Amazing that this commission would table a Lebo zoning change because some Brookline residents complained, yet the commission pays no attention to Lebo residents and taxpayers when they complain or oppose an action.
Why is Linfante's home assessed at $297k, when it was purchased for $359k in 2005? Why use 2006 as an arbitrary stopping point for reassessments? Why not 2005? Why not 1981? If uniformity is the "goal", why not reassess all properties? Also, I wonder how Howard Hannah, et al. will sell homes having to explain to potential homebuyers that their home will most certainly be reassessed after purchase and the next homeowners can expect to pay taxes on the full sales price...
Hissy fit? No. But as usual, she had that dumb, vapid smirk on her face. So did Brumfield. I don't what their problem is but that kind of arrogance and disregard for residents as well as guests from another community really doesn't do much for the town's image.
$359K purchase price in 2005 and assessed at $297k in 2013.
I thought Mt. Lebanon home values never fall and the Taj Mahal high school project guaranteed they would always go up!
It is completely disgraceful that they added the "Newcomers Tax" item to the agenda at the last minute. Yes, all the "newcomers" were there to speak but we have ALREADY been reassessed. The people who the commision voted to target this year have no idea what happened and could not comment. If you bought a home between 2006-2013, look for the municipality to appeal your home soon. Everyone thinking about moving here or buying a different home in the community should know about this. Realtors are not going to share this info! And there is no way to know ahead of time whether you will fall into their parameters since they supposedly leave it all up to Diversified Services.
9:16 AM, yes, it makes you wonder. Commissioner Bendel will be abstaining over something that was a conflict two or three years ago, yet has no problem voting in turf while he is a coach.
9:18 AM, like art, it is only worth what people are willing to pay. I get how the reassessment process is going after the underassessed homes using the purchase price, but starting at 2006, when Kristen bought her house in 2005, is very suspicious. It is very similar to when I was reassessed for my porch roof before the project was completed, while my 3rd Ward Commissioner was sitting in a grossly underassessed home. I love my new porch roof!
9:24 AM, I saw the smirks on Linfante's and Brumfield's faces during the discussion session when the estimate for Robb Hollow came in at $8.6 million. Knowing Kristen's feelings toward Kelly's Robb Hollow plan from my RTK, they are trying to kill the plan. And when Feller said to Kelly something like, "I have no idea what you are talking about," I thought that was pretty disrespectful on his part.
Yes, 9:24 AM, if everyone can sit through the video when it is uploaded today, you will see how disrespectful Kristen and Dave were with residents and guests. Are you surprised? I'm not.
I uploaded the podcasts to last night's meetings. I found Jim's comments around the 01:24:00 time stamp.
Elaine
Thank you for providing this blog to us. Just found out about it last night. I appreciate your hard work in trying to keep Mt. Lebanon honest.
You're welcome, 10:02 AM. I also have a website,
www.lebocitizens.com where I upload podcasts from school board meetings, as well as commission meetings. My friend, David Huston records all the school board meetings for me.
The podcasts to last nights meetings have been uploaded here.
Thanks for reading, 10:02 AM.
Elaine
In fact, none of the commissioners, aside from Fraasch will be affected by the new reassessment window. All purchased their homes prior to 2006. Is this a coincidence? Will they offer to have their homes reassessed to achieve more uniformity? On a side note, I can't believe the $74k trophy case hasn't been in the news yet.
We should research which homes on the aye-voting Commissioners' streets will be affected by the new assessment window and let them know that although they may (will) now be reassessed, their Commissioner will not...
Why did they present an $8.6 million dollar plan for Robb Hollow when fixing up Brafferton for $300,000 was too expensive?
Could it be to thwart any discussion of Kelly's plan that interferes with their plastic field at Niddle/Wildcat?
That is how I see it, 11:07 AM.
The street to watch is Roycroft. Many "What the Kluckers" reside on Roycroft. In fact, the school board president and the commission president are neighbors.
Elaine
I bought my house in 2012 for a price that is over 15% of the assessed value. If the municipality challenges my assessment and I lose, I will be moving quickly out of Mt Lebanon. It is already to the point that if someone asks me how I like living here, I point them in the direction of this website and tell them to see for yourself. We have vacant properties that should be redeveloped but we are putting the screws to families already living here? We have unassigned funds year after year and we are in need of more tax revenue? I just don't understand this line of thinking whatsoever.
Another to watch, Elaine...muni staff winning kitchen remodel contests.
Damion remember the high school renovation, turf and the Tod are all going to make your home more valuable... Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Elaine, are backyard over the fence discussions and agreements between local officials subject to RTKs?
It's all for the kids!
Just to clear something up, I don't believe the 8.5 million was for Robb Hollow plan. It was for a renovated public works which may or may not impact the proposed Robb Hollow project.
Fact is, if the muni gets the swap to go through, they WILL have to invest money in Robb Hollow to green it up a bit and make it accessible.
Not sure how the Public Works pipe dream was done in a vacuum there.
I think the newcomer's tax is a turf tax.
The commissioners and school district aren't thinking big picture. They aren't building relationships with the people that live here. They are essentially declaring war. Their behavior goes against every progressive, modern thinking mentality about how to govern and build/maintain a solid community.
I think Castlegate got attention from the commissioners because Natalie Rudiak reached out on behalf of her Brookline residents.
12:33 PM, you are absolutely right. It was for Public Works at Robb Hollow. I stand corrected.
12:25 PM, I can't get them to ask for text messages.
Elaine
As per this mornings comment inferring Mr Bendel had a conflict of interst in regards to the field vote because he is a coach himself. Mr Bendel is NOT a current coach and has not been a Fiield Coach for over 5 years. None of his children play a sport that requires use of Mt Lebanon fields. I just feel the facts need to be accurate.
So PW turned Robb Hollow into a sh*t hole and now they want taxpayers to fork over $8.5 million to undo the damage.
1:00 PM, I was going by his smart voter dossier. Full Biography for John Bendel
I said coach, not field coach. I agree. The facts need to be accurate.
Elaine
Yes 1:00 pm the facts should be accurate by all means.
Is he associate with any sport in any way.
Also for the sake of accuracy please show how turfing Middle and Wildcat increase game units by 60% that Bendel offered in his presentation?
My teachers/professors/bosses always demanded that I show how I arrived at my conclusions.
Doesn't Mr Bendel's daughter play softball?
Mr Bendels daughter does not play softball.
Grrr. The link I put up at 1:26 was the wrong link. Maybe it was a Freudian slip. The resident who sent in the letter just happens to be featured in the second issue of Mt. Lebanon Neighbors. Hey Dave, maybe it is not all bad. you can hit him up for a donation.
Elaine
OK, here is the smart voter link.
Full Biography for John Bendel
Sorry about that.
Elaine
Bendel's profile
"Twenty-two years in community development with the Federal Home Loan Bank Pittsburgh and a private consulting firm specializing in planning, project financing and advising local governments"
Is he associated in any way with the firms or entities involved with turfing, TOD or Castlegate?
Bendel will be abstaining from the Castlegate vote.
Elaine
Don't extensive home improvements like the award-winning kitchen prompt a reevalution of the properties assessment value?
From Bendel's profile posted on 2011:
"Coaching is one of my favorite ways to spend time with my kids and to meet many wonderful Mt. Lebanon families. For the last 11 years, I've been coaching baseball or basketball, and I've enjoyed every minute."
So he'll recuse from the Castlegate vote because he was on the board 4 years ago. But he was actively involved in youth sports at least as recently as 2011 and somehow has been immersed in the turf project? Well now, if that isn't hypocrisy, I don't know what is. Just curious but how is he able to pick and choose what constitutes a conflict? Or is he just getting bad legal advice?
Did Residential Resources have an ownership or tenant interest in the real property being referred to as "Castlegate" ?
If so, is that why Bendel may abstain on the zoning change vote ?
Did he or Linfante or Feller or Weis define the reason for Bendel calling for an Executive Session adjournment prior to the zoning vote either at the time of adjournment or continuation of the public meeting ? If not, a state law was violated.
If a reason was given it was valid only if it had to do with the purchase of real estate, actual or potential litigation associated with the matter under consideration or a legal opinion related to such a matter. If the reason was none of those, state law was violated by the commission.
I'll bet state law was violated !
do not trust bendel -- on anything
I thought Bendel called for an executive session for the newcomers tax - not the Castlegate issue?
Yes, it was before the newcomers tax. Then he voted against it. See my comment here at 11:23 PM.
Elaine
What are the commissioners trying to prove with "CastleGate"? Are they afraid that no one will purchase this property? I thought our wonderful school district had people fighting over homes here. The company I work for just relocated 45 employees from the Chicago area and not a single one bought a home in Mt Lebanon. The agents were located on Washington Road but the homes bought were in USC, Peters and SF. Must be we don't have enough turf fields...
Wait a minute! Elaine you said you were reassessed because of a new porch roof? How big is your porch? Because if I remember didn't a commissioner brag about some large home improvements? Why didn't THAT get a reassessment?
How is this "Newcomer Tax" a form of democracy??? I believe in a democratic society, ALL citizens are to be treated with equal rights and values!
To the people who think the current system is fair you seem to not understand real estate and are as simple minded as the PA politicians that support the current system. What happens elsewhere in America (such as where I moved from!) is this: Each year, the assessments for all properties change by neighborhood. (Typically in our town...about the size of Lebo...all houses went up X%.) If you did work to your house, your assessment went up by a greater amount depending on the value of the work (meaning the value that was added to the home). Each year, the millage was adjusted so that taxes weren't just going up and up.
The reality is that the assessments are based on some percentage of the market value of your house if your house were on the current market. Saying a home's value ONLY goes up if you sell is not true. But that is how it works in Pennsylvania.
11:49 am and 1:33 pm
You are right that this Newcomer's Tax is ridiculous, unfair, and poorly planned. My guess is that it was construed by Franklin, Bendel and Brumfield as the three of them are good at spending other people's money and demanding payments from unsuspecting citizens.
Do not give up. If you think you are being lied to, you are. If you think something is corrupt, it probably is. Keep pushing. Other people (unelected) in Mt Lebanon are glad you are here.
Attention Mt. Lebanon Newcomers - Let's work together on this. Email mtlebanonnewcomers@gmail.com if you are interested in joining together to review our legal options and the legality of the actions taken by the commissioners.
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