The backlog of building permits in Westport’s assessor’s office that led to postponement of the town’s real property revaluation update has almost been cleared, according to a report presented Tuesday night to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
Helen Garten, the RTM representative on the town’s Revaluation Working Group, told the meeting that the firm hired to clear the backlog had almost completed a physical inspection of the 1,187 properties involved.
It was discovery of a backlog of about 1,700 building permits in the assessor’s office some going back to 1998 ֖ that led to First Selectwoman Diane G. Farrell’s March 4 announcement she would seek to postpone the revaluation.
The state later approved legislation allowing municipalities to postpone revaluations for up to three years.
Garten, RTM District 3, said she received an update earlier in the day from the assessor’s office on the status of the backlog and distributed to RTM members a list of some of the properties that had taxes due as a result of the review.
The new assessor, William Gaffney, had explained earlier that while there was a backlog of about 1,700 permits, some of the properties had multiple permits so only 1,187 properties were actually involved.
Garten said the list she distributed to RTM members included preliminary findings for 178 properties. “The additional tax revenue associated with these properties is $ 770,000—$479,000 for the current year and $ 291,000 of back taxes,” she said.
The largest back taxes owed on the list was $37,465.68 for a property at 100 Bayberry Lane.
Garten said owners of the properties cited should be aware that the tax bills they received last week do not reflect any of the additional taxes associated with their property improvements.
“These additional taxes, for both the current and prior years, will be included in a special bill that will go out in August,” she said. If property owners made more than one improvement, they may receive more than one statement.
There has been concern expressed that some taxpayers may still not be sure whether their properties are among the 1,187, Garten said.
So the affected property owners will be getting a letter from the assessor in the next week or so giving them notice that their properties have been revalued and that they will receive a special tax bill, she said.
“These letters will not say exactly how much tax individuals will owe, nor should people call the assessors office to find out, because the final numbers are not available yet.” Garten said.
She said when these property owners do get their bills, whatever additional taxes they owe will be due in three equal installments payable over the rest of this fiscal year.
“State law does permit the Board of Selectmen to defer tax payments when there are ‘unusual financial or other circumstances,’” Garten said, “and the Board of Selectmen is planning to discuss standards and procedures for deferral in appropriate cases.”
She said these policies will be considered at a public meeting and that taxpayers will also have the right to appeal their new assessments.
But under state law, these appeals cannot be heard until next March, when the Board of Assessment Appeals meets again, the RTM representative said.
“There is a lot of detail to explain to affected taxpayers,” Garten said.
“The Working Group meets again July 29, and we have asked to review the final draft of the tax collectorҒs letter that will accompany these tax bills and will spell out the rights and obligations of taxpayers.”
In response to a question, Farrell told members that letters concerning back taxes owed would go out to homeowners, not to banks or other institutions holding mortgages that actually may be paying taxes to the town.
Garten said she suspected she and many fellow RTM members will be hearing from constituents with additional questions once these bills are received.
If they get a question they cannot answer, they should call or e-mail her and she will try to get a definitive answer as quickly as possible, she said.
The RTM representative said the Board of Finance at its July 20 meeting will further discuss the Working Groups recommendation for an independent review of the policies and practices of the assessorҒs office and other departments responsible for generating and monitoring the tax revenue stream.
She said that board began its discussion of the perimeters of such a review last week and will return to the issue at its July meeting.
Garten said a request for proposals for the full physical revaluation to be conducted by the town went out last month and responses are due back by July 16.
This will enable the Board of Finance—when it meets July 20 to consider a funding request for the physical reval—to have an actual bid in front of it, as will the RTM when it takes up the matter at its Aug. 3 meeting, she said.
“The expectation is to have the firm begin working by September so that the revaluation can be completed by October 2005, which is important from both a fiscal and a fairness point of view,” Garten said.
She said members might be interested to know that if they want a sense of the size of the revaluation job, there are roughly 8,890 single family residences in Westport and 422 condos, as well as 490 commercial properties and 400 vacant lots.
“As you know, because of timing it is not feasible to do this revaluation in house, which is why we are hiring another outside firm,” Garten said.
“Once the firm is place, its representatives will be introduced to the public, probably at a Working Group meeting, and there will be opportunity for people to ask questions and express their concerns early on in the process this time round.”
At its meeting Tuesday night, the RTM approved an appropriation of $348,363 for renovations to the health suite and selected offices at Kings Highway Elementary School.
Approval, on a 26-4 vote, came after a lengthy debate during which some members expressed concern about the amount of money involved.
Some members also said they preferred the town’s Public Site and Building Commission to oversee the job instead of the Board of Education itself.
(Editor’s Note: The editor of WestportNow is also Moderator of the RTM).
