Struggling with controversy over property assessments and taxes, a Richmondville committee will try to unravel the dispute and explain it to the public.
At a workshop Monday night, the committee agreed to try several avenues––including calling in elected and appointed state officials.
Richmondville town leaders have been under fire from the public for the past year. Complaints stem from high property valuations and resulting high taxes after the town’s revaluation in 2006.
“People are upset,” said committee member Bob Nied. “They’ll move out if they can’t pay their taxes.”
Assessor Matt Richardson identified one problem as the state Office of Real Property Services’ opinion that the market value of Richmondville has risen dramatically in past years and will continue to rise.
“Even with property values going down across the country, ORPS is saying Richmondville’s went up or at least stayed the same,” said Bill Lape, who organized the workshop.
“The state is going to raise us every year. They’ve done that already,” Mr. Lape added.
The 2006 reval, Mr. Richardson said, “gave an inflated view of Richmondville property values.”
Deputy Village Mayor Geoff Rightmyer, also a committee member, agreed, adding that he believed actual market values were far below ORPS’ estimates.
And if Richmondville’s market values actually did rise by ORPS’ figures, “how much did Middleburgh, Schoharie and Cobleskill go up?” wondered Mayor Kevin Neary.
Though assessments within the town appear to be uneven, there’s a greater problem with school and county taxes, officials said. The high values mean Richmondville likely pays a larger share than it should, compared to other towns.
“By having reval, it distorted that representation of Richmondville’s part in the pie,” Mr. Richardson said.
The committee will try several approaches:
* Not all the land assessments are finished, and Mr. Richardson will do that job.
* The committee wants to approach Schoharie County supervisors who will be examining a county-wide assessing unit to replace the town-by-town system. Members hope to speed the process along.
* Supervisor John Barlow has already contacted Senator Jim Seward and Assemblyman Pete Lopez. The committee wants their help in having ORPS representatives come to Richmondville and explain the property tax system.
* Finally, the committee wants a public meeting to explain problems and possible solutions to residents.
“It’s a confusing, complex system,” said Mayor Neary, “but the people deserve an explanation.
“Collectively, what everybody’s looking for is just a fair system.”