Lakefront Property Owners To Petition For Reassessment
Posted
Tim Robertson-trobertson@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE - Some Winona lakefront property owners facing sharp increases in their property taxes plan to submit a petition Monday asking the county to assess the value of their properties again before they pay their taxes.
Property owner Deborah Conley drew the petition and distributed it to 300 of her neighbors. Conley, a former realtor, lives on Country Club Drive East. She said her property taxes increased 92 percent this year, and many along the lakefront received larger increases.
"One home increased 268 percent," Conley said. "It doesn't make sense."
The petition claims property value assessments along Winona Lake for 2006 were based on only two properties located close together, sold in 2004 and 2005. Two other properties in the sample, the petition states, were sold in 2003.
Conley said the sample used to assess property values does not accurately represent the area's lakefront property as a whole.
"You have to take so many things under consideration," Conley said, "location and condition of the home and what the market is doing. All (the county) can use is statistics. I just don't see how it can ever be fair."
Conley said the petition is an attempt to control the damage from what she said is a flawed tax system.
"Ultimately, I'm hoping property taxes will be repealed because there is no way to make them fair," she said. "But, it doesn't look like anything can be done immediately. In the meantime, I'm hoping for a total reassessment of property on the lake."
The petition to correct an error is one of two methods Indiana law allows Hoosiers to appeal their property taxes.
The other way begins with written notification to the township assessor requesting an informal meeting to discuss the assessment. After the informal meeting, the township assessor will make a recommendation either denying or approving the appeal. If denied, the township will forward the appeal to the county Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals for review. If the PTABOA denies the appeal, the property owner will receive instructions on appealing the decision to the Indiana Board of Tax Review.
Conley said some of the property owners in her area already have submitted individual appeals with the county, but she expects about 200 will submit petitions. "I really think we're going to get a great response," she said.
Kosciusko County Chief Deputy Assessor Becky Richard said the county has received about 900 individual appeals from county property owners dissatisfied with their property tax assessments. Some, Richard said, have already been settled or withdrawn. Others will be reviewed at hearings with the PTABOA in the coming weeks.
