Group to fight property assessments
By TOM GERMOND
Article published on Tuesday, March 25, 2008  |
CLEARWATER BEACH – A new organization is seeking donations to advocate property tax fairness and challenge what it believes are unrealistic appraisals.
Pinellas County beach residents who are unhappy with their property values are asked to donate $50 to a fund to pay for legal and administrative costs in challenges to assessments.
“Every resident is urged to examine last year’s tax bill and compare your assessment to today’s current market value as determined by the most recent sales in your immediate area. You will find in many cases, the assessment exceeds current market value,” wrote Bill Smith, president of the Marina House Condo Association at Clearwater Point.
Smith said the ultimate goal of the Clearwater Beach Property Tax Relief Fund is to let the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office know that it is opposed to unfair appraisals.
“Many of these older units are selling for less half their high market value,” he said.
However, Pam Dubov, chief deputy to Property Appraiser Jim Smith, said concerns about the property values being too high are largely a calendar issue – the declining values sparked by the downturn in the housing market will be reflected in notices of proposed property taxes that will be mailed in August.
Based on modules thus far, all indications are that decreases in appraised values for residential property owners will be widespread.
Condos owners along the beaches can expect to see “dramatic decreases” in the property values, she said.
Dubov said her office is aware that residents feel pinched by economic woes, such as taxes and gasoline costs.
“I understand their frustration,” she said.
Smith said the group’s intent is to do as much as possible to influence new appraisals. Though it will not be in a position financially to appeal every case, the group will be able to recommend legal advice for a remedy through its attorney.
“We are in the process of engaging legal counsel to lead the proactive effort for fair and realistic appraisals. Once we have finalized our choice for representation, a town meeting will be organized to plan our path forward,” Smith wrote.
Any tax appeal attorneys interested in the effort are asked to contact Smith immediately at w2smith@aol.com.
“This is not an effort to re-create the Boston Tea Party, but to legally seek fairness,” he wrote.
Bill Smith said efforts to appeal assessed property values through the property appraiser’s office procedures have been widely unsuccessful.
“The appeal process costs you $310 an hour” to hire an attorney, he said.
However, Dubov said of the 3,000 parcels for which values were challenged before the Value Adjustment Board, 900, about one-third, were reduced.
Because many property owners will be leaving town by the end of April, Smith said it is imperative that they act quickly to prevent a lack of funding from stalling the effort.
“We all realize municipal services are to, a large degree, funded by property taxes, but at the same time are suggesting there are other means for government to consider in funding, other than an unfair property tax,” Smith wrote.
The group is open to anyone who lives in the beach community in Pinellas County, Smith said.
Checks should be made payable to CB-PTRF and mailed to the fund’s administrative assistant: Margit Thacher, Unit 112, 868 Bayway Blvd., Clearwater Beach, FL 33767.
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Article published on Tuesday, March 25, 2008
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