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We asked Mayor Vic De Luca to answer our questions on the pending revaluation. Here are his answers. Check them out.
 - 1. Why are we doing a revaluation now?
- The Essex County Tax Board ordered
Maplewood to undertake a revaluation because the present assessed property values are about 52 percent of true values. This
order coincides with the decision made in 2000 to do another revaluation in no longer than ten years.
- 2. What, in essence, does it do?
- Professional assessors evaluate the
sales of properties as close to October 1st in order to set comparable values among similar type neighborhoods and homes.
The revaluation is premised on the notion that actualsalesgive the revaluators the basis to assign values. In addition to
the analysis, inspections are made of each property to assess the value of the home or business. This is where the number
ofbathrooms, age of kitchens and bathrooms,and renovated basements and attics make a difference. Those improvements are included
in the actual value of the property. So the final assessment includes a value for the property and a value for the improvements.
- 3. Are taxes increased because of it?
- The revaluation does not increase the
aggregated tax collection. The current total assessed value is about $2 billion. Let's say the tax rate is $1 per $100 of
value. That gives us a total tax collection of $20 million. If the assessed value goes to $4 billion, the tax rate is reduced
to 50 cents per $100 of value, giving us the same tax collection of $20 million.
- 4. What would happen if we refused?
- The Essex County Tax Board will sue
us in court. We would end up spending a lot of money just to have some judge order us to conduct the revaluation. There is
no legal defensible argument as to why a revaluation should not be conducted.
- 5. In 2000, did we sue to block it? What happened?
- No we did not sue in 2000. Assessed
values at that time were based on a 1982 revaluation. No subsequent Township Committee had the will to conduct another before
we did in 2000. In 2000 we were losing hundreds of tax appeals because values were severely inconsistent. In fact, similarhouses
on some blocks were paying different tax amounts which is not consistent with the state constitution.
- 6. If someone's taxes increased in
the last reval, how likely are they to decrease or remain unchanged?
- I
am not going to speculate on what the results of the revaluation will be on individual homes or neighborhoods. I think it
is not too hard to acquire sale pricesof homes for the last year and compare those with your present assessment. That will
tell you what the true value of your house may currently be. The saleswill not tell you what the tax rate will be when all
is said and done. That is the only time that anyone will know the impact of the revaluation on their own property.
- 7. What is the biggest misconception
of the revaluation?
- (1) That this is an effort to increase taxes collected.
(2) That somehow the Township Committee has a role in determining assessments. There is a fire wall between the TC and the
revaluation firm in order to protect the integrity of the process.
- Is any of the money used to pay for the revaluation covered by some other funding? If so, what?
- No, the taxpayers must pay for this
expense over a five year period.
- 9. Is there anything else residents should know to ease their concerns?
- We will be setting up a Citizens Revaluation Advisory Committee to work with the Township and revaluation firm. The
Committee will make suggestions on ways in which to share information and address concerns that may come up.
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