Tell us how to appeal assessments

The deadlines to file an appeal of the 2010 property assessments are quickly approaching for many suburban townships. Most property owners are unaware that they will not receive any notice regarding their assessments unless there is an out of the ordinary event occurring to their property.

This should be front page news for any news service serving the suburban market given the historical real estate fluctuations we have experienced.

A homeowner's share of the property tax obligations are determined by the assessor's opinion of value on Jan. 1 of the given assessment year. In ridiculously far too many instances property assessments are incorrectly valued much higher than they realistically are. Every property owner should exercise their right to appeal their assessment and file a complaint before the deadline arrives.

If nothing else is achieved, property owners will educate themselves on the value of their property and the appeal process.

They will also ensure that they have the option of elevating the appeal to the state at a later date.

In my opinion the news service providers should run a series of article for the purpose of educating the public of their rights within the property tax assessment system.

Tom McCabe

Batavia