Cracking down on pedestrians and underassessed homes UPDATED 3x

Tonight, John Bendel introduced Ordinance (Bill No. 2-16) amending the Code regarding pedestrians. The Ordinance would amend the current regulations by identifying when a pedestrian may cross at all locations in the municipality where official traffic-control signals or pedestrian-controlled signals are established, and establishing penalties for violation of such regulations.

Another pedestrian was hit on Washington Road on January 13th, while crossing in a crosswalk. We’re paying tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to White Buffalo to kill deer but we’re spending nothing to prevent pedestrian/vehicle accidents.

 

Pedestrians and deer are always at fault. I'm surprised the ordinance didn't mention smoking in a crosswalk. That will be in the next amendment.

The other big news from tonight's meeting is that the vote was 3-2 to hire Diversified Municipal Services again. Diversified will charge a flat fee of $175 for each appeal attended. John Bendel and Steve McLean were the two who voted no. Kelly talked about fairness and paying our share. I happened to look at the Allegheny County website and see that Kelly's house is assessed at $188,800. She bought her house in 2009 for $190,400. It is on the market for $330,000. Steve Silverman bought his house in 2005 for $660,000. It is assessed for $591,100. His new neighbor bought the Kang house for $1,050,000 in October 2015. It is assessed at $674,400.
Update February 9, 2016 11:46 PM Mt. Lebanon crafting law to thwart jaywalkers 

Update February 10, 2016 12:35 PM Don't complain to the commission. You may get a response like this one.

---

From: xxxxxxxx
To: kfraasch@mtlebanon.org
CC: commission@mtlebanon.org; kmcgill@mtlebanon.org
Subject: RE: pedestrian ordinance 2-16
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 16:19:57 +0000

Ms. Fraasch,

  Perhaps you can share with me Mr. Bendel's intent with this new law, that goes beyond existing State laws already on the books.

If Mr. Bendel did not draft it, perhaps you can inform me who did.

Before you accuse me of insulting someone, maybe you can provide me with the information I need.

The information the municipality provided me clearly shows Mr. Bendel introduced the bill.

How is Mr. McGill involved with writing municipal laws? Is he qualified?

We need better enforcement of 4,000 Lbs. automobile operators that threaten pedestrian lives daily.

If you don't like my tone of voice, feel free to step down and allow someone else less sensitive to take your seat.

xxxxxxxxxxx

---

Subject: Re: pedestrian ordinance 2-16
From: kfraasch@mtlebanon.org
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 11:03:28 -0500
CC: commission@mtlebanon.org; kmcgill@mtlebanon.org
To:xxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxx:

First, I want to make clear because John Bendel introduces an ordinance doesn't mean he drafted it.  More importantly, your reference to John is entirely inappropriate.

Let's start over, you have concerns about the ordinance.  I hear your concerns and you have a point with your example that I will review with Mr McGill.  

Regarding concerns about pedestrians being the potential focus of blame.  We have received over the years information showing that some of our pedestrian/car interactions have been the pedestrians fault.  We need to equally educate drivers/walkers/joggers/bicyclists to respect each other on the roads in order to have a successful walking community.

Thank you for your input and please understand we appreciate your feedback.  However the insults are not necessary or appropriate.

Kelly

Sent from Kelly's iPhone, please excuse typos or auto-corrections.  

On Feb 10, 2016, at 10:08 AM, xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

Hello Commission,

  Here just one example of where the ordinance can go wrong.

Suppose the resident who lives at 754 Scott Rd wishes to take a stroll through

the cemetery on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Scott Rd. has pedestrian signals at Washington Ave and Sunset Drive.

According to §702 as proposed, that resident would have to walk a half-mile

to either Washington Rd. or Sunset Dr., cross at the pedestrian-controlled crosswalk,

then walk a half-mile back to the cemetery.

This turns an illegal 50 foot crossing into a 5000+ foot legal trek, a 100-fold increase in distance!

With cameras watching our every move, it is not a stretch for the municipality to abuse

its power and start mailing citations of up to $300 as quoted in this p-g article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2016/02/09/Mt-Lebanon-crafting-law-to-thwart-jaywalkers/stories/201602100119

This undue hardship on pedestrians is not acceptable in our walking municipality.

Please reconsider this ridiculous ordinance 2-16

xxxxxxxxxxxx

---

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: commission@mtlebanon.org
Subject: pedestrian ordinance 2-16
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 13:49:31 +0000

Commission,

  There are major defects with Bendel's ordinance, but the main thing is,

Bendel doesn't care about pedestrian safety, and people we care about will be killed or seriously injured due to this ordinance and the attitude behind it.

This culture of blaming the victim needs to stop right now.

xxxxxxxxxx

Commission considers additional private property locations UPDATED

According to the Commission Discussion Session Agenda for tomorrow, February 23, 2015, our commissioners will be considering additional private property locations for deer killing. Brian Benner from Wildlife Services [sic] and staff will be reviewing plans with the commissioners. Brian Benner is one of two people from Wildlife Specialists, LLC permitted to do the field work as listed in the PA Game Commission permit.

For all the Lebo Citizens readers who are new to this, the Discussion Session will start at 6:30 PM in Conference Room C, down the hall from the Commission Chambers in the Municipal Building. The public is permitted to observe, but not speak.

The Commission Meeting will begin at 8:00 PM in the Commission Chambers. Citizen Comments begins shortly after 8:00 PM. The agenda is rather short, so if the commission permits non-residents to speak at the end of the meeting, the wait will not be as long as the last meeting. It appears that Commissioners Linfante and Bendel will not be attending. Those who wish to speak, must add their names to the sign up sheets in the back of the room. Last time, there were two sign up sheets, one for residents and one for non-residents.

Also on the Commission Meeting Agenda, the commissioners will be awarding a contract to Diversified Municipal Services to represent the municipality in defending and appealing assessments, otherwise known as the Newcomers Tax. Mr. and Mrs. Stroyd Morgans, get your phones charged. It will be a night for photos.

Update February 22, 2015 3:21 PM The commission lied to us about the sterilization permit. The Game Commission stated that they have not denied the sterilization permit, but are still waiting for Mt. Lebanon's response to their six questions.

On Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 12:23 PM, a resident wrote:

Hello Steve,

To date I have not received a response to my inquiry surrounding the deer sterilization permit.

Considering the Mt. Lebanon Commissioners initially misled the public to believe this permit was not approved by the PA Game Commission, I would like to know its true current status.

Please respond as soon as possible.

Thank you.

From: Stephen Feller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>
Date: February 20, 2015, 1:14:16 PM EST
To:
Cc: Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Subject: Re: Sterilization deer permit Inquiry


We are working with Mr. DeNicola and are hopeful that we may have answers and a proposal for the Game Commission by the end of April. 

Newcomers, School Board Meeting on Tuesday

Normally, the Mt. Lebanon School Board would be meeting on Monday, but due to the Holiday, it has been moved to Tuesday, April 15, 2014. The agenda has been posted here.

On the agenda,

2014-2015 Proposed Final Budget: RESOLVED, That the Board approves a Proposed Final Budget in the amount of $87,924,509, at a millage rate of 23.15 mills, a .54 mill increase from 2013-14, utilizing $750,000 of the fund balance in the form presented.
Furthermore, the Board intends to vote on a Final Budget with such changes as it deems necessary at its May 19, 2014 meeting.

For those new to the system, residents are permitted to speak for four minutes at the beginning of the meeting, only on action items on the agenda. I see that Bill Matthews has requested to speak. My guess it is concerning the Proposed Final Budget. I hope President Cappucci actually listens to him this time instead of watching the time clock. Last year, she was very rude to him.

Last year, the school board was a smidgeon more transparent than they are this year. Last year, a list of suggested cost reductions was published and discussed at a separate Budget Forum. This year, we will learn more about the "Final Budget with such changes as it deems necessary at its May 19, 2014 meeting."

Another very important topic, which started prior to the newcomers' arrival is the high school renovation. The Almanac reports in the article Retirements, tuition payments will help close Lebo budget gap (Saved in Google Docs) concerning the $91,713 change order on the agenda:

the installation of additional sprinklers in the catwalk area above the auditorium. Project plans had not flagged this as occupied space. 

Architect Tom Celli said this was a miss by the design team. “When you have a project of this size and complexity, with materials and controls coming from all over the country, these things are going to happen. We have gotten nothing but great feedback, whether from people in the community or those who have competed in the gym or the swimming pool.”

I am glad that Dan Remely didn't throw Fire Chief Sohyda under the bus, as he had done in the past. I question Celli's comment about the great feedback about the swimming pool. I understand that the railing reported in the Fall is still taped off with caution tape.

The Almanac article continues with

contractors have billed 72 percent of construction costs, and have used 71 percent of the project’s contingency funds. 

Both Celli and project manager Tom Berkebile expressed confidence that the project would finish within the established contingency. 

“It’s going to be close,” Berkebile said, “but I still feel confident we’re going to get there.”

What that means is that the project should have gone to Referendum, but it would never have passed. If they go over, then voters get to decide to leave a school partially completed, or approve the project after the fact. We were told that the high school renovation would bring people to the community, similar to the rhetoric we are hearing about the artificial turf on Cedar Blvd. Aren't you glad you moved here?

If newcomers (and any other residents) wish to speak about items unrelated to the agenda, you must wait until the end of the meeting, where you are given five minutes to speak. Warning, the school board will be watching the clock instead of listening to what you have to say. These are the same people who have been working with Diversified Municipal Services for years. Enough said.

What has Mt. Lebanon become? UPDATED

Yesterday was most disappointing for me. In a matter of a few hours, I received an abundance of emails exemplifying the corruption in our local government.

Earlier in the day, I reported an address to the commission of a friend of both Dave Brumfield and Kristen Linfante, whose home is assessed $310,000 below their purchase price last year, along with the link to their friend's County Assessment. I was alerted to this discrepancy by a Lebo Citizens reader.

Moments later, my mailbox was flooded with emails from Lebo Citizens readers notifying me of the fundraising efforts by the Recreation Department as discussed in my post, TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE. As I mentioned in my previous post, I questioned the commission about this action in a separate email.

At the same time, a newcomer received this response from Dominick Gambino, who clearly intended to send it to Nancy Carroll. The resident had been asking for information concerning his appeal.

From: Dominick Gambino <d.gambino@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Municipal Tax Assessment Appeal
Date: Thu 04/10/14 02:43 PM

He can't stand that you won't react. That's the best weapon against folks like him
Sent from my iPhone

This attitude is exactly what we are seeing from our local elected officials. I had emailed the commission asking about the results of the deer aerial survey. As usual, Kristen ignored me. This issue is very important to me, but based on what I had seen at Tuesday's meeting, the citizen who spoke during Citizen Comments was informed. I had heard that the pro-culling residents were circling their wagons and her comments confirmed it. Transparency? Nope, not any more.

I received one response to my emails.

From: David Brumfield < davidcbrumfield@gmail.com>
To: egillen476 < egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Apr 10, 2014 03:24 PM
Subject: Re: Totally inappropriate

How is forwarding an email request for charitable donations inappropriate. Aside from your dislike of the project please explain how this is any different than assisting in the advertising for Martha's Run or the Ultra Party.
Additionally, as to your prior email I think it is an unforgivable invasion of privacy for you to circulate the name, address and community service record of a resident whose assessment is being appealed in some cheap attempt to allege bias contrary to the facts.
In the future please do not copy me on any emails where you cast aspersions on private residents. I have no desire to participate in your slanderous gossip.
To prevent the unnecessary dissemination of this information I am only responding to you. I shall not copy or forward this and request you act likewise.
Dave Brumfield

I explained to Dave that because his email is subject to a Right To Know, according to the Sunshine Law, I could not honor his request. Since it was written from his personal email account, I now understand why there are never any emails of his in my Right To Knows. 

Emailing to the Commission is not slanderous gossip. In light of the fact that our Commission is in the news over the Newcomer's Tax, I felt that my email was not out of line.

I did not see the letter from the Recreation Department as forwarding an email request. I let Dave know that I disagreed with him. Comparing this to Martha's Run or Ultra Party is insulting. $750,000 of our money is going into this project already, without any approval from constituents. Does the Municipality donate to Martha's Run or Ultra Party? Hardly. I know that the committee for Martha's Run pays to advertise in mtl Magazine.

I also felt that a more appropriate response from Dave, in regard to the assessment of his friends, would have been, "Thank you for your concern. This property has been appealed by the Municipality."

I am so tired of the tone that our elected officials use with their constituents. I am tired of the attitude from many staff members within our local government. I don't appreciate how the newcomers are being treated by a contractor hired by the Municipality and School District. It is offensive to me that an employee is on the Mt. Lebanon Community Relations Board. 

The public is seeing this very ugly side of Mt. Lebanon. The transparency is gone. Where is the civility, Kristen and Dave? It left the school board long ago.

Update April 11, 2014 2:10 PM Good thing I didn't see this on Facebook yesterday. Don't you just love to see municipal staff fundraising for the non-municipal share on our dime? (Saved in Google Docs)

Dear Newcomers

The following letter is from Lebo Citizens reader, John David Kendrick.

DEAR NEWCOMERS,…

Earlier today I watched the April 8, 2014 meeting of the Mt. Lebanon Commission and I have several observations that I want to share with you:

1. Contrary to Dave Brumfield’s comments around the 48 minute mark, Nancy Carroll will not have any discussion with you concerning an informal resolution of the appeal. In fact, the only response that you will get from her is, “I’ll see you at the hearing.”

2. The four Commissioners present at the meeting couldn't care less about your problems:

     a. They have no reason to care (they are not your stakeholders);

     b. They have no interest in the welfare of you or your family; and

     c. In all likelihood they don’t understand the impact that they have had on your property values.

3. All of you should be proud of how you presented yourselves at the meeting.

     a. You all were well prepared with your comments.

     b. Your comments were well researched.

     c. You showed respect for the institution and the office – which is the polar opposite of what these four FARTS have shown your families!

The question is how you can deal with the problem at hand…

The biggest problem that all of you have is that you don’t have any leverage over the Commissioners. Your presentations made an appeal to their sympathy or the logic of their decision, but you need to find something that will capture their attention and make them more sensitive and responsive to your problems. Leverage can come in many ways and political leverage appears to be the most effective solution for this problem. You need to find something, like the potential death of the turf project, that you can control. For instance, after I heard that Dick’s was contributing $5,000 I decided that I’ll never go shopping in a Dick’s store again! Maybe all of you can think of similar collective economic leverage that you can assert?

I can’t stress enough that the Commission's behavior is a call to action. There is a burning platform before every Mt. Lebanon resident – and it’s the equity, your hard-earned and invested money in your home that is going up in flames before your eyes! All of you absolutely must get involved, get organized, select your candidates and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!

Don’t delay – the Community is about to turn into ashes before your eyes!

Sincerely,

John David Kendrick

"I will shut down this meeting!" UPDATED 2X

I can't wait until the Commission meeting video is uploaded on mtlebanon.org. At one point, President Linfante threatened the angry newcomers and real estate agents with, "I will shut down this meeting!" I hope the camera caught Manager Feller's expression when Kristen said that. His eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. I wish she did shut down the meeting. Kristen would have been in deep doo-doo had she followed through with her threat.

Wow! What a night! I am hoping to hear from the newcomers and post their stories, charts, graphs and comments from tonight's meeting. I had the pleasure of meeting many of my new Lebo Citizens readers. I will be uploading the podcasts shortly. I uploaded the podcasts and are available here.

Until then, I just want to say how happy I am to see residents attending a Commission meeting. Newcomers, you really need to go to a school board meeting. You heard the solicitor tonight. If the municipality "presses that pause button," the school board can and probably will proceed. Somebody has to pay for those raises, the $74,000 trophy case and the new teachers' contract.

A resident was wearing this sign at the meeting. Copies were available on the table.

Not to be disrespectful, but I saw a similar reaction last night.

Update April 10, 2014 7:35 AM Residents who bought homes in 2011-12 fighting Mt. Lebanon's assessment appeals 

Mt. Lebanon to hold meeting for property owners whose assessments are being appealed 

Update April 10, 2014 12:02 PM The April 8, 2014 Mt. Lebanon Commission Meeting video has been uploaded on the Municipal website here.

Lessons learned - not an April Fools joke

Yesterday was the deadline to appeal reassessments. We have all learned quite a bit about the process. I decided to make a list of what I have learned.

• If you want to add value to your house, add a roof to your front porch. Spending $50,000 to update your kitchen and having the Post Gazette write about it, is not investing wisely.
• If you have lakefront property in Mt. Lebanon, your house will go down in value.
• If you support a commissioner's dream and present it at a Commission Discussion Session, you will reduce the value of your home to below 1988 prices.
• If you are related to any highly paid municipal staff, your home already assessed at $40,000 less than the 2004 purchase price, will be reassessed an additional $113,400 less. 
• If you are a commissioner, the value of your home may be significantly less than your neighbor's. This may also hold true if you are a school board director, past or present.
• You can work for Diversified Municipal Services and still be on the Community Relations Board and be a member of the ad hoc committee to change our municipal constitution, the Home Rule Charter.
• On a square foot basis, the larger the home, the less your home is worth. Invest in small houses. In the low rent district.
• If you are a school district finance director, move out of Mt. Lebanon to avoid the taxes.
• Real estate agents work for the seller, not the buyer.
• Take advantage of the Homestead Exclusion.
• Pay attention to deadlines.
• Start attending commission meetings and school board meetings.

Gotta love 'em UPDATED 2X

There is a new rule on assessment appeals, in case you haven't heard.

The rules -- passed last month by the Board of Property Assessment, Appeals and Review -- allow only lawyers to charge a fee to appear at an assessment challenge, arguing they can be held more accountable than the average schmo off the street http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/reassessment/new-rule-on-assessment-appeals-drawing-criticism-on-allegheny-county-council-681744/#ixzz2PJXxM7VZ

What makes this even more interesting is that the District hired Dominick Gambino to represent them in assessment appeals. According to his bio listed on The Law Office of Ira Weiss website,

Mr. Gambino is a Certified PA Evaluator and the founder/owner of “Diversified Municipal Services, Inc.” – a firm providing a variety of services and products related to local taxation and property assessment. He also served as Manager of the Office of Property Assessments in Allegheny County from 2001 – 2003. In 2002, his department conducted its first in-house computer assisted mass appraisal; and, the following year, his office facilitated the conversion of 1.8 billion bits of property data to the county’s present system. Under his guidance, Allegheny County’s real estate Web site was enhanced to include an interactive GIS mapping system and a sophisticated search engine allowing the complex queries of assessment data. During his time at the county, over 100,000 assessment appeals were completed. Mr. Gambino also prepared special reports and audits for the Allegheny County Controller’s Office. Over the years, he’s served in several elected positions including local councilman and tax collector; he’s also held a variety of local and state-wide board positions.

I don't see that Gambino is an attorney, do you? The PG article continues with:

He's also challenging a rule allowing school districts and other taxing bodies to cut deals with property owners outside the hearing, which he believes gives an unfair advantage to local governments.

What was that? School districts cutting deals with property owners? Is that why we have some underassessed properties on Standish, Vernon and Arden, for instance?

Update April 2, 2013 3:01 PM I got a response from President Cappucci concerning the fourteen questions I emailed the board.  Here is her response.

Mrs. Gillen,

Most of the questions you have asked have been answered during previous meetings and Board discussions.  All of our past and current budget information is on the District's website.  You can also attend or watch tonight's budget discussion for further information.

For the Board,

Elaine Cappucci
President, Mt. Lebanon School Board
ecappucci@mtlsd.net

My response at 3:05 PM

Elaine,

You know that isn't true.  The list is below. I asked fourteen questions that I have not been able to get answers. Please answer my questions.

Elaine

April 3, 2013 8:30 AM   Allegheny County Council on Tuesday vetoed a proposed rule change in the way property owners are represented during assessment appeals.

Council voted 12-1 — with Councilwoman Heather Heidelbaugh, R-Mt. Lebanon, against — to scrap a plan from the Board of Property Assessment and Review that would have required property owners who hire someone to appeal their assessments to use an attorney.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/3770106-74/council-property-assessment?showmobile=false#ixzz2PP3MnaHj

No contract for appeals!!!!!

David Huston filed a Right To Know on June 14, 2012 asking for the most recent version of the contract with Diversified Municipal Services. This is the company hired to represent the School District during the OVER assessed appeal hearings as reported in this post Wouldn't this be a cheaper way to go for everyone? UPDATED David's RTK was granted today. Right to Know response To summarize, there is no contract!

Let's go back to last night's school board meeting.  David Huston asked our solicitor about the appeal process. Link to podcast Listen to the tail end of the meeting. It is in the Questions or Comments from Residents portion of the meeting.

In an email to Tom Peterson, David wrote this:

Mr. Peterson,
  According to the P-G, attached,  "Shortly afterward, (March 2006) the school board decided to hire the firm Diversified Municipal Services to represent the school board at appeal hearings."

My RTK request revealed there is no agreement with DMS.

How can the District use their services without any written agreement?

David was able to locate the meeting minutes that included the agreement.

From the 18-SEP-2006 meeting minutes:

It was moved by Garson and seconded by Rose that the Superintendent [Wilson] is authorized to retain representatives for representation of the District at residential tax appeal hearings before the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review.

ROLL CALL For: Campbell, Garson, Remely, Rose, Silhol, Walton, Rodella

Abstained: Posti

Against: None

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

Posti and Remely were the only current directors on the board at the time. Wilson was two superintendents ago. Posti abstained because she was in the process of appealing her own assessment. Does this authorization extend six years, two boards and two supers later? At Monday's meeting, Peterson referenced the authorization of 2006.

Other Districts, such as West Jefferson, hire DMS on retainer at $1000 a month. Their agreements are online. Ours is $100-$150 a case because we have more appeals. There is no written agreement for ours.
I want to know if there have been any recent appeal hearings in which DMS was not present. Any feedback from readers?
Listening to Elaine Cappucci's report, she really took a shot at the commissioners for not sharing the expense of the appeals. Rumor has it that Josephine Posti has no plans to go after the underassessments. Of course not.

Wouldn't this be a cheaper way to go for everyone? UPDATED

At the May 29, 2012 commission meeting, a motion was tabled to pay the Schood District 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services.

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.

Diversified Municipal Services is owned by Dominick Gambino. Doing a Google search, I found this PG article about Mr. Gambino. Get ready: Assessments are coming next week

Mr. Gambino strongly differs, saying reassessment will lift an existing unfair tax burden on residents of poorer communities. Elected leaders, not a county judge, should have launched and directed the project on their own, he said. Mr. Gambino, who worked for the county for 25 years, now runs a consulting firm called Diversified Municipal Services Inc.

As Tom Moertel and Commissioner Fraasch demonstrated, there is an unfair tax burden on certain wards in this community. To counter this "unfair tax burden," Diversified Municipal Services provides this service to assist individual property owners, businesses and governments in analyzing property data in Allegheny County. http://countypropertyanalyzer.com/about.php

The County Property Analyzer is another service provided by Diversified Municipal Services, Inc. It can be a useful tool for individual property owners, businesses and governments in analyzing property data in Allegheny County.
Diversified has represented clients in literally thousands of property assessment appeal hearings. The County Property Analyzer unleashes the power for anyone to create sales comparison evidence for submission in property assessment hearings.

On their home page, Diversified Municipal Services reads:

Welcome to the County Property Analyzer

The product you are about to preview is an amazing tool for anyone in search of property information in Allegheny County. It will invite you through the door to explore the property data for over 550,000 properties.

But more remarkably, this tool allows you to analyze the data even further by exporting and saving the results of your search - over twenty-five different bits of information including property and mailing addresses, sales validation information, assessed values and numerous land and building characteristics - onto an excel spreadsheet.

The countypropertyanalyzer will also be a valuable resource in calculating property values by easily and efficiently helping you acquire comparable sales and granting you the ability to create and prepare sales comparison reports in a pdf format.

This is a product that has a wide variety of functions and uses. It was developed by the former Manager of the Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments specifically to allow the analysis of property data. Sales ratios studies, Comparable Sales Reports and mail merge capabilities are just a few of the possibilities.

Countypropertyanalyzer is a "must-have" for any real estate professional or property owner.

The best part about the product is the cost. Sign up for a "free week trial period" by clicking on "SIGNUP". After the trial period, you can continue having access to this fantastic tool for only $75 per month!

So my questions are:

1. Couldn't a homeowner use this service for free during the trial period for their reassessment hearing? 
2. Why is the District willing to pay $150 per assessment hearing when they could use this service for $75 a month?
3. More importantly, why is the Municipality are Commissioners Brumfield and Linfante willing to fork over 17% towards this charge?

Update June 2, 2012 6:15 PM With James Fraasch's permission, I am sharing a link to a letter he sent to the Honorable Senior Judge R. Stanton Wettick, Jr on May 30, 2012 concerning the reassessment. It just might blow your mind! It did for me. I hope our elected officials (at all levels) read it VERY carefully.

This feels so wrong

On tonight's Commission agenda:

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??