AMHERST
Ward calls for suspension of Amherst reassessment program
In response to complaints by Amherst residents about increases in their assessments, Council Member Daniel Ward called for a suspension of the town’s reassessment program.
Ward held a news conference Wednesday afternoon and sent out a release citing his objections to the town assessment process and his desire to see statewide tax reform that does not rely on property taxes as the method for funding local government.
“Enough is enough,” said Ward in a statement, “and I have heard enough.”
Many residents have expressed deep anger, resentment and suspicion regarding their assessments and have asked the town to justify wildly fluctuating changes in preliminary property assessments from one street to another.
Aside from calling for a halt to the reassessment process and seeking to petition the state for a new income-based taxing system, Ward called for “a huge, town monster meeting on the issue.”
Town Assessor Harry Williams, who said there was no way he would participate in such a meeting, recalled receiving death threats the last time a big, town meeting was held on property reassessments in 1991, when Ward was supervisor.
“It was the worst, god-awful thing,” Williams said. “It was nothing more than a shout-fest of threats and death threats.”
Supervisor Satish Mohan was out of town Wednesday, but Deputy Supervisor Mark Manna said it’s too early to find fault with the town assessment program. Many residents are still participating in the assessment challenge process and meeting with representatives from the KLW Municipal appraisal firm.
“I am all in favor of, not only a fair assessment, but a reasonable and rational assessment process,” said Manna, who acknowledged that he and other Town Board members are hearing from many unhappy residents. “We’re still early in the process. Until the informal meetings are completed and there’s an adjustment in the assessments, I think it’s premature to just cancel them.”
Town officials pointed out that the Town Board unanimously approved the hiring of KLW Municipal last year and restarting the town’s annual reassessment program last year. Aside from Ward, who is running for re-election this fall, no council members have voiced public complaints about the quality of KLW’s work.
The reassessment is designed to bring Amherst assessments up to full market value. Right now, the state applies a 92 percent equalization rate to the town’s assessments.
The town’s annual reassessment program was suspended by Mohan after he took office in 2006. Robert Koszarek, president of KLW Municipal, said his firm has scheduled 1,750 meetings with residents so far to discuss their preliminary assessments, which he described as “very normal.”
Preliminary assessment figures would raise town property values by an average of 21 percent. Williams said 67 percent of homeowners would still see their tax bills stay the same or go down if local tax levies remain unchanged because the tax rate would fall.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments