Just got my new assesment....F&%#!!!!!

[sabres07]

Anyone get their new assesment yet in the mail? Well I got mine....up by a whopping 31%.....where do the f&*# do they get THAT number?????? I will be fighting it with vigor.....

[Surfing USA]

Sure enough.

See the assessment thread that was started earlier today: http://www.speakupwny.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48165

[Bioguy231]

31% Wow......the WNY real estate market must be booming!!!!!

[forreason]

I have been watching this issue ever since the TS came into office over three years ago when he refused to keep up with the program. Not updating causes homes in some areas to not be updated (by relative sales) in that amount of time. I have also been reading articles in the papers, "Business Week", etc. that have professed that with the conservative approach in the real estate market, we did not see the excessive value, but positive equity in homes. Every other week now you can see real estate transactions in the "News" to get a feeling of values in your town. If you think it is wrong, challenge it. There is an avenue to do so but make sure you are realistic in your value..

[StudentObserver]

And does everyone remember Satish Mohan's campaign promise to end assessment hassles, reduce taxes by 15%, and work as Supervisor for one dollar per year.

Instead, Satish decided to discontinue mandatory annual reassessment (because reassments are unpopular) thereby costing taxpayers untold wasted millions in school taxes where school districts in Amherst straddle with other school districts outside of Amherst that did keep up with the assessments.

[sharky]

20% increase in assessed value but they claim the taxes would only go up $37
something doesn't add up

[amhresident]

20% increase in assessed value but they claim the taxes would only go up $37
something doesn't add up

I got my letter today and almost cried. Increased almost 60%!!!!!! with the added slap in the face of letting me know that I would have an additional $1400.00 plus in my last tax bill.

This after reading in the snooze that that piece of s#*t Mohan said i would actually see a decrease.

I hope I can sell my house for that so i have enough money to move as fr away from Mohan as possible. He is an absolute disaster.

[Dougles]

Now if everyone taxes are skyrocketing, WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY GOING TO PAY FOR?? and please don't say more police!

[atotaltotalfan2001]

And does everyone remember Satish Mohan's campaign promise to end assessment hassles, reduce taxes by 15%, and work as Supervisor for one dollar per year.

Instead, Satish decided to discontinue mandatory annual reassessment (because reassments are unpopular) thereby costing taxpayers untold wasted millions in school taxes where school districts in Amherst straddle with other school districts outside of Amherst that did keep up with the assessments.

Focus! This is not a Satish Mohan problem -- sorry. I know that will burst your bubble. But frankly something is wrong with the way assessments are determined. My assessment went way up too -- and there was not one comparable for me to study to figure out why, at least according to the web site.

My friend across the street has been dealing with sharp increases in her home value for years, despite the fact that not a home to which she is considered comparable is, in fact, a true comparable.

The way NY does assessments is all wrong. It's all guess work, especially when you consider how few sales actually make up the supposed basic of assessments in our area.

The way the system works is riddled with the probability of error. And it puts the burden of proof on home owners, not the contract employees (whoever they are. Kids just out of college?) who slap together what they think is true value.

I remember when Satish Mohan ran for office. Home owners were up in arms about soaring assessments. He promised to look into that and when he did, he was torched. People have such short memories.

[hate politics]

mine went up close to 40 percent. my neighbors went up likewise. it sucks and I believe it is the process as well as Mohan screwing it all up.

only a few months away from a MF (mohan-free) amherst.

[forreason]

I guess like other municipalities, people must vent especially during a reassessment event. From what I have been led to believe (by my own research), it could be perceived that fair market value comes into play. Also land value vs. construction costs, local neighborhood trends, etc. I am not an expert, but as I formerly stated, some areas of the town have not been reassessed for years (partly do to the discontinuance of the process). I just cannot believe that anyone that has been involved with the TS on issues of fact, $$$, etc. would state that he has the correct answer to this issue. In fact he has caused more of the frenzy by his remarks and actions. If you truly after looking at local trends, sales, etc. feel that your new assessment is not correct, by all means challenge it. I along with some friends have gone through the process and contrary to the TS beliefs, the employees in that office have been very helpful. Now as an aside to this situation, but I was at the barber shop yesterday and some guy was venting about his assessment. He was raised around $30,000, but he was boasting about he had placed his home on the market for $70,000 more than his former assessment and he has two individuals very interested in his home (on the market for three weeks). So not every home, subdivision or area of the town will witness the same as this individual, but this area is still showing modest gains in value to different degrees. I am not involved, just interested in the process.

[FMD]

my assessment went UP $67,000 from $98,000. tell me something aint screwed up here?!

[Add It Up]

20% increase in assessed value but they claim the taxes would only go up $37
something doesn't add up

The estimate didn't include special district taxes, etc.- a very large portion of our tax bills.

The process was KLW Municipal, Inc.'s, not NY state's.
It appears they did not consider "wetlands, flood hazard or easements." Shouldn't they be included automatically in any Amherst reassessment? What are we paying them for?

Mine went up about 21%, but don't forget that extra amount will also increase your special district taxes -fire, water, sewer, storm drainage, lighting district, etc.

[Liberty]

Focus! This is not a Satish Mohan problem -- sorry. I know that will burst your bubble. But frankly something is wrong with the way assessments are determined. My assessment went way up too -- and there was not one comparable for me to study to figure out why, at least according to the web site.

My friend across the street has been dealing with sharp increases in her home value for years, despite the fact that not a home to which she is considered comparable is, in fact, a true comparable.

The way NY does assessments is all wrong. It's all guess work, especially when you consider how few sales actually make up the supposed basic of assessments in our area.

The way the system works is riddled with the probability of error. And it puts the burden of proof on home owners, not the contract employees (whoever they are. Kids just out of college?) who slap together what they think is true value.

I remember when Satish Mohan ran for office. Home owners were up in arms about soaring assessments. He promised to look into that and when he did, he was torched. People have such short memories.

Mohan can't be excused for this total mess. Mohan caused the mess. First, Mohan didn't say he would "look into" assessment processes. Mohan promised during his campaign to "end assessment hassles" and reduce taxes 15%. Then, once elected, rather than learning about the assessment process, Mohan simply and unilaterally de-funded the Town's budget line for the State required yearly re-assessment of properties. The Town Board, also keenly sensing how unpopular re-assessments are (nobody likes the common cold or the universality of mortality either!), went along with Mohan's "head in the sand (or worse)" approach to governance and allowed the foolish Mohan to bring an end to State required yearly re-assessments. This move alone cost the Town to lose State funding by failing to keep the properties assessed at 100% of their values (hundreds of thousands of dollars of State assistance foregone due to Mohan thinking he outsmarted the world by simply ending an unpopular necessity - re-assessment. Then, to make matters far far worse, Mohan's reckless shoot from the hip approach to ending re-assessments caused the Amherst taxpayers who live in school districts which straddle town lines to be taxed at a ridiculously skewed rate due to the neighboring towns having kept up with the state required 100% assessment Statle rules. This is not a function of the assessment process gone wrong. It is equivalent to Mohan going to every house in town and letting the air out of our car tires to ensure that we get less "mileage" out of our taxpayer dollars! All of this is a function of Mohan's ignorance compounded by Mohan's total arrogance. At this rate, it seems Mohan may even issue an order to the Town Clerk to discontinue the issuance of certified copies of death certificates thereby singlehandedly finally overcoming the very unpopular universality of mortality! Mohan's methods of "ending assessment hassles" now has our taxes going up 21%to 60%. Egads!

[Save Us]

Mohan can't be excused for this total mess. Mohan caused the mess. First, Mohan didn't say he would "look into" assessment processes. Mohan promised during his campaign to "end assessment hassles" and reduce taxes 15%. Then, once elected, rather than learning about the assessment process, Mohan simply and unilaterally de-funded the Town's budget line for the State required yearly re-assessment of properties. The Town Board, also keenly sensing how unpopular re-assessments are (nobody likes the common cold or the universality of mortality either!), went along with Mohan's "head in the sand (or worse)" approach to governance and allowed the foolish Mohan to bring an end to State required yearly re-assessments. This move alone cost the Town to lose State funding by failing to keep the properties assessed at 100% of their values (hundreds of thousands of dollars of State assistance foregone due to Mohan thinking he outsmarted the world by simply ending an unpopular necessity - re-assessment. Then, to make matters far far worse, Mohan's reckless shoot from the hip approach to ending re-assessments caused the Amherst taxpayers who live in school districts which straddle town lines to be taxed at a ridiculously skewed rate due to the neighboring towns having kept up with the state required 100% assessment Statle rules. This is not a function of the assessment process gone wrong. It is equivalent to Mohan going to every house in town and letting the air out of our car tires to ensure that we get less "mileage" out of our taxpayer dollars! All of this is a function of Mohan's ignorance compounded by Mohan's total arrogance. At this rate, it seems Mohan may even issue an order to the Town Clerk to discontinue the issuance of certified copies of death certificates thereby singlehandedly finally overcoming the very unpopular universality of mortality! Mohan's methods of "ending assessment hassles" now has our taxes going up 21%to 60%. Egads!

It's not just Mohan, its how the town has created a need for such an onerous tax base. There should be downsizing and consolidation.

You are going to see less and less pro -government, obstructionist posters as the economy worsens..they are the local enemy. They are starting to stick out more and more.