Revaluation

Letter to Editor - Beachcomber

What happens next with our revaluation?

Those taxpayers stunned with their tentative assessments of true market value of their properties have taken the 1st step and met with Tyler Technologies/ CL T in an "informal review." Now, we wait to hear from the company to see if changes in the assessments will be made. According to our City administration, it cant do anything legally to reconsider its co l Tact with Tyler until the company's revaluation process is complete.

A contract is a legal binding document. It assigns responsibilities to the signers. There is the expectation that these responsibilities will be done competently and credibly to the satisfaction of all parties, one of which, the City of Brigantine in this case, includes taxpayers. In something as important as the valuing of one's real estate, confidence in the soundness of the process is paramount. Based on Tyler Technologies's job performance in Brigantine, that confidence is lacking.

In addition to the initial errors, the lack of necessary information at the early reviews, since corrected, I see a lack of consistency and a formula in making the assessments. Some properties, used as comparable sales examples, are assessed at less than their recent purchase prices. Some are assessed at more than the purchase prices. There are other examples of problematic assessments that lead to the following questions for the company (all of which I have written to a company manager): How does the company determine an assessment? How does the company define "comparable"? How many comparable properties are used for each assessed property? I was shown three. How much of an area around the assessed property is included for comparable properties? Are they averaged to determine an assessment? I've been told and have read different calendar periods for this revaluation, 2004 and 2005 up to Oct. 1, or three years including 2003. Which is it?

As is obvious also from these questions, communication among the company, the City and the property owners has been less than adequate.

While not exactly linked to job performance, we are dealing with the fact that there is now a slowdown in our real-estate market. The peak has passed. This means being taxed on assessments exceeding true market value.

I think the contract and payment schedule should be reconsidered by City Council with the possibility of re-doing the revaluation and moving the effective date to 2007. Some Council members have said the County is pressuring Brigantine to complete its revaluation. Shouldn't getting credible assessments override the County's pressure?

Other municipalities such as North Wildwood, Egg Harbor City and Strathmere, have had problems with this same company. If City Council was unaware of these problems before, it needs to become aware now and report back to the taxpayers with a proposal to correct an unsatisfactory and unacceptable situation.

The next City Council meeting is at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 15 in the North School Auditorium. Taxpayers, come and continue the discussion about this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Anne H. Phillips