Wellesley’s Board of Assessors has begun the process of reviewing abatements filed by those who disagree with their initial real estate tax assessments for fiscal year 2019
It does so via closed executive sessions, and has such sessions slated for Feb. 28 and March 4.
We’ve heard this year from more residents than usual who are griping about their assessments. Though the Assessors’ Office says the number of abatement forms filed on time — 241 — accounts for less than 3% of all properties.
Those forms were due Feb. 1, and allow property owners to explain why they think their assessments are disproportionate to surrounding properties, or overvalued in general. The town has 3 months from the time applications are filed to act on them, barring other arrangements.
The highest number of appeals took place in fiscal year 1997 when there were 932 applications, according to the Assessors’ Office. Prior to that fiscal year, values had not been updated for at least 3 years. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue recertification of value audits now take place every 5 years, so those audits can have an impact on how assessments are figured and received.
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