We have added a porch, patio and two sheds to our current home and were definitely reassessed for them.  I have no problem paying my fair share, but $20,000 seemed like an enormous jump for a shed.  It's a shame when you cannot have reasonable people working in these jobs.  The City suffers in this area as well based on the article in the gazette posted here.  We have always tried to do the right thing by getting building permits as needed.  This is why so many homeowners try to sneak improvements or don't improve their home.  The result in taxes makes it more expensive than the cost of the construction.

In several towns in which I have lived, residents are required to pay for the issuance of a building permit for the construction of a shed or detached
garage or the placement of a manufactured shed that exceeds 120 square feet.  Once you have a building permit issued, you are subject to a property
reassessment.  That said, my sheds were always larger than 10' x 12'.  Don't know that the assessors ever increased the property assessment as a result.

From a real estate perspective, your property value is increased with the improvements (drilled well, shed) that you mentioned, though I don't see
how they could amount to a $20K increase in assessment.  Drilling a well removes the uncertainty regarding finding water and eliminates the expense of
"punching multiple holes" to find water by a prospective buyer.  However, unless the cost of well drilling has increased substantially in the past several
years, I don't believe that it would amount to $20,000 unless it is about 600 ft deep with casing the entire depth.

You didn't state in your post the size of the parcel, the zoning, or the assessment (only the increase).  I would suggest that you find some comparable
properties (with lower assessments) to use in grieving your assessment.

Quoted from GrahamBonnet

You are better off buying a snowmobile trailer and stashing your things inside that, screw the assessor.

how about a 53' trailer,
imagine one on every lawn as a statement to the assessor




anyone know how the July 1 date falls into the process
i believe inventory is marked on this day and the roll is announced in the spring of the following year
thus if you built on july 2nd you might be able to argue this point

Quoted from clubhouse

We grieved at the Town level and were denied a reduction.   The next step was Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR)...this is a petition that is filed with the Town Clerk, Assessor, School District, County Finance, County Clerk.   It's basically the same information used for Grievance Day.   A Hearing Officer was appointed by the County to review our petition as well as information submitted by the Assessor.  An actual hearing was held and we attended along with the Assessor.  During the Hearing, the Hearing Office made a determination to grant the reduction.  

It seems like a lot of paperwork but well worth the time.  Only $30 to file a SCAR and most people are granted some reduction.   I know three people who were denied at Grievance Day last year, pursued SCAR and got their reduction.  

For additional info:
http://www.nycourts.gov/litigants/scar/generalinfo.shtml

that's just called job security........smoke and mirrors........

Thanks Brad.  The property is over 26 acres and zoned rural residential.  The well is 200 feet down with 20 foot of casing.  Since the property was just appraised by a bank for a construction loan, I'm hoping that their value assessment of $79,400 (which is the previous assessed value) holds some argument with the folks on grievance day.  The bank appraiser did not add value to the property based on the shed or well.  I understand that the well takes some of the risk of building on the property, but $20,000 seems very excessive.  There is still now power to the property.

Other vacant land on the road is assessed much lower than our previous assessment with absolutely nothing on it.

Tippy I like your idea, but keep in mind that the Rotterdam Assessor hit Frank up for his ice shanty.  

He is going to have a field day with us next year with a new house.  I will present the same argument that an "Real" appraiser hired by a bank has already set forth the developed value.  I doubt we could get fire insurance on the building for $20,000.  Shouldn't the value of the fire insurance equal the assessed value?

Well husky...then I guess we can count on you for a 'NO' vote for a taxing district for REMS, right?

And I guess we can assume that you also voted 'NO' for the increased school budget, right?

And we can also assume that you are at the county leg meetings speaking out against our high county taxes, right?

And lastly, we can also assume that you speak out against the metroplex and their redistribution of wealth through our taxes, right?

the part that baffles me this town paid GAR to update the towns inventory
I would like to know "who" signed off on the invoice
my issue is with the inventory not the values
if the inventory was not complete why was the invoice approved for payment?
one just needed to look at the large commercial property across from Dolan dr on Duanesburg rd - no measurements of the buildings
I would think that running a report looking for blank fields would be a simple task

i would also like to know where our current administration stands on the issue

Note: there will be no answer to the questions above because of pending litigation

i would also like to know how to reduce the number of "neighborhoods" to speed up the process of reassessment to keep the assessment roll at 100% as it is in our towns best interest to welcome new neighbors, and property improvements

to those debating their assessments remember to have your comps and excel spreadsheets, graphs and pics.

and some apartments assessed at 5x less then their sale value  WTF  - You and I have to pay more to cover for visitors - give me a break
i dont give a sh!t which assessor is on duty

Quoted from TippyCanoe

and some apartments assessed at 5x less then their sale value  WTF  - You and I have to pay more to cover for visitors - give me a break
i dont give a sh!t which assessor is on duty

It's criminal isn't it?

There needs to be a simple algorithm for assessments that uses the square footage of the lot and the footprint of the home. That would prevent all kinds of unfairness between homes in the same area, and it should ignore the home's value based on realty comps. Increasing the assessment by putting up a shed or fence just discourages people from improving the outside of their homes, and having a run-down eyesore shouldn't be rewarded with a lower assessment.

Quoted Text

REFORM TAX ASSESSOR’S OFFICE
REFORM #2
The current assessor, Mr. Craig Surprise, does not treat residents or businesses
with proper respect. That’s wrong. When you have a question or concern about your
assessment - you deserve an answer. I will ensure that all residents are treated fairly
and with dignity and respect.

So this was REFORM#2 that this merry bunch promised. And now that surprise is gone, as promised, and the retread macejka is back in play........all of the assessments should be fair and square now.....yes????

Rotterdam folks should start storming their part time assessor's office and question these assessments. If nothing else, you will be treated with dignity and respect!

Their #2 REFORM, never said it would actually RESOLVE any assessment issues!!

And YES, it is criminal!!

Rotterdamians should be thanking their dem and con party for putting forth such a competent team! NOT!!  

Put a fork in 'em....they're done!!

Quoted from 1226

There needs to be a simple algorithm for assessments that uses the square footage of the lot and the footprint of the home. That would prevent all kinds of unfairness between homes in the same area, and it should ignore the home's value based on realty comps. Increasing the assessment by putting up a shed or fence just discourages people from improving the outside of their homes, and having a run-down eyesore shouldn't be rewarded with a lower assessment.

Sadly the stupid laws of NYS don't allow that, but that is my idea of fairness as well. Outbuildings normally have to be assessed but there should be a fair way to do that as well- say for instance counting it as 1/4 the value of heated floor space so that garages, sheds, barns to store tools, cars, tractors or livestock not be a deal breaker for a home owner.

You can thank John Mertz, Steve Tomassone and Carolina Lazzari for dialing back the reval efforts and stifling assessment reform in Rotterdam.  Carolina Lazzari was getting away with not paying her fair share in taxes, borderline fraudulant barn exemptions and no building permit improvement for years....no wonder she wanted "her" assessor in there.  Mertz built a big new house and doesn't want to pay fair taxes on his market value or purchase price.  Steve's family disowned him for not stopping the reval as he promised his friends and relatives he would do.  He made Surprise the assessor with a wink and a nod to lower his brothers assessment so Steve could get his seat back at the Sunday dinner table. Too bad their little "Surprise" stuck a fork in THEM.  His biggest regret was....well you will have to ask him.  It might surprise you.

The new part time assessment process is saving the town alot of money.  Other departments should take Maceja's lead of doing more with less!  He has always been the champion for fairness and equality.  Unlike the previous cast of misfit town Republicans.

Quoted from GrahamBonnet

Sadly the stupid laws of NYS don't allow that, but that is my idea of fairness as well. Outbuildings normally have to be assessed but there should be a fair way to do that as well- say for instance counting it as 1/4 the value of heated floor space so that garages, sheds, barns to store tools, cars, tractors or livestock not be a deal breaker for a home owner.

Is this a new thing in rotterdam? Assessing 'out buildings'? Or assessing anything at all?
hmmmmm.....for years rotterdamians had the luxury of adding and building additions and 'out buildings' with just a wink and a nod from JM and NH. Has that changed???

Perhaps surprise tried to get a handle on it and that's why he's gone and JM is baaaacccckkkkk.....perhaps?

Quoted from bumblethru

for years rotterdamians had the luxury of adding and building additions and 'out buildings' with just a wink and a nod from JM and NH. Has that changed???

Perhaps surprise tried to get a handle on it and that's why he's gone and JM is baaaacccckkkkk.....perhaps?

Prove it!  My claims have been validated your claims are typical for a scorned taxpayer who got caught cheating the decent Rotterdamians who booted the GOP out on their keesters.  Pathetic!