For immediate release:
February 9, 2015
Contact:
Jason Davidson
jason.davidson2@maryland.gov
410-767-5754

Multiple Property Assessment Notices Causing ​Confusion

- Review of Properties’ Original Market Value Led to Secondary Notice -

Baltimore, Md. (February 9, 2015) – Maryland property owners receive a property assessment notice at the end of every year. But this year, a little more than 8,000 property owners have received secondary notices, creating confusion on which assessment is the correct one.

Acting director of SDAT Owen Charles says that for these property owners, “the revised new market values listed on the second assessment notices are valid. During their post valuation reviews our City office recognized that the proposed new value for some properties were not the new market values that were intended for the initial December 26, 2014 notices of assessment.” He continues, “However, the revised values were not determined in time to replace the initial values when the reassessment file was forwarded for printing. The revised values issued on the Jan. 30, 2015, supplemental notices supersede the values on the initial Dec. 26, 2014, notices.

Of the more than 8,000 secondary notices sent, the revised values were increased on 4,089 properties, decreased on 3,610 properties and remained unchanged on 422 properties.

Supplemental Notices are issued for one of several reasons including:

• To inform the new owner of the New Market Value for a property that recently transferred;
• To revise the New Market Value for a property on which new improvements were completed or;
• To revise New Market Values that the Supervisor of Assessments deemed to be inappropriate.

An assessment is an estimate of the current market value of the property as determined by the Department of Assessments and Taxation. Local governments will apply their tax rates to the assessment in determining the annual property tax bill. Statewide, property is reassessed in groups every three years, by law, to determine their current market value.

Property assessment notices were mailed at the end of 2014 to nearly 750,000 property owners in Maryland. Because property values rise and fall over time, reassessment is necessary to reflect the current market value. Any increase in property values is “phased-in” in equal installments over the next three tax years, beginning with July 1, following the date of the notice. Any decrease is fully implemented in the first tax year and remains at the reduced assessment for the full three year cycle.

Any owners who received a supplemental notice can contact our Baltimore City assessment office at 410-767-8250 if they have questions. The contact number is also listed on page three of the assessment notice in the upper left hand corner.

Property owners, in general, have the right to appeal the total new market value listed on their notice within 45 days from the date on the notice. Appeals may be submitted in writing or online. And an owner has the choice of sending a written submission with the appeal, requesting a telephone conversation as the appeal, or requesting an in person appeal with an assessor.

Follow SDAT on Twitter: @MD_SDAT and Facebook: Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation.

###

MEDIA CONTACT: Kim Frum 410-767-1142 (office)​​​