Board Responds
Wednesday, June 11 2008
As a Town of Victory council member and a voice for the entire town board I would like to offer the following response to taxpayer Roger Manning’s published letter regarding the Town of Victory’s latest revised assessments.
The Town of Victory board members did agree to increase the town wide assessments an average of 3.5 percent town wide. The town board’s action represents a confirmation of professional judgment and integrity displayed by Mr. Baldwin with respect to the property assessments.
The Town of Victory has entered into a coordinated assessment program agreement with the Town of Ira in an effort to reduce additional burden on the taxpayers. Victory received $7 per parcel in state aid during the first year of inception. The town continues to receive $5per parcel in state aid when the annual revaluation is completed creating additional savings. Per the agreement Victory pays 43 percent of the total cost incurred with the annual revaluation process, which is based upon the number of parcels located within the town.
Mr. Baldwin’s analysis takes into account all of the property sales that have occurred within the past year in the Towns of Victory and Ira. A total of 30 property sales occurred within towns in 2007. Mr. Baldwin’s annual analysis is reviewed in conjunction with the New York State Office of Real Property Services to establish the annual equalization rate percentage. The assessment adjustments proposed by Mr. Baldwin are reviewed and compared by NYSORPS against all of the sales for the last three years that have occurred in northern Cayuga County. After review by NYSORPS the assessment and equalization rates are established.
In Mr. Manning expressed his concerns with the rising assessments and rising taxes. I would like to point out that Mr. Manning failed to mention in his letter the Town of Victory tax rate decreased by 6.49 percent in 2008.
Mr. Manning also states in his letter the board agreed to increase property values for the fifth year in a row. I would like to point out that Mr. Manning’s assessment remained unchanged for the plast four years. Mr. Manning’s tax payment pertaining to town and county taxes was reduced by $48.26 from 2007 to 2008. Many other taxpayers are seeing similar results due to the efforts of the town board and assessor.
Mr. Manning’s property assessment increased in the latest revaluation by a total of $900. The increase in assessment equates to Mr. Manning being required to pay an additional $12.89 in the coming year based on current town and county tax rates. In my opinion the total increase appears to be very reasonable for a five-year period with the current economic conditions.
At grievance day on May 27, 22 taxpayers from the total 941 parcels turned out to discuss the changes in their assessments. With less than 3 percent of the taxpayers turning out to grieve it appears the majority of the town is in agreement with the revised assessments. Many may not be happy with the increase but likely feel it is fair and necessary.
— Scott Bloss, Town of Victory Councilman
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