Saturday, December 31, 2011

On Allegheny County Property Tax Follies


If we're going to have property taxes (and I'm not sold on the necessity, but here we are!) we have to reassess property values regularly -- so that perceived increases in property value don't pile up, don't go unchecked, aren't as daring when they do happen and don't ruin the stability and predictability of Allegheny dwellers' budgets. Also so that all County reassessment functions remain good at what they do over a decade.

Secondly, if we are going to reassess property values only after a rare court order, we should NOT send out tax bills to ANYBODY until ALL property in the county has been duly reassessed, the appeals exhausted, and the tax rate DULY LOWERED. Not a day before.