It’s never over Assessments are works in progress
For all the wrong reasons, Allegheny County Chief Executive Don Onorato recently announced he was scrapping the latest reassessment. Rather than let values fall where they may, Onorato instituted caps on the amount of value that properties can increase over time. It was a foolish move, predicated on Onorato’s and the county council’s fear that they would endure the political backlash once the vast majority of property owners received notice that their values went up. But assessment values are only one part of the equation. The other is the tax rate that counties, municipalities and school districts set.
It stands to reason that following a reassessment, taxing districts should drop millage rates so as to not gouge taxpayers. In fact, state law forbids taxing districts to capture more than a 5 percent windfall. But Onorato played up the gouge factor instead of using his leadership role to sell the finer points of fiscal restraint.
He tinkered with the process, breaking what Allegheny had been trying to fix. Allegheny, under court orders, reassessed properties a few years ago.
Fayette followed suit, adopting values that replaced a nearly 50-year-old system. But one reassessment is not a cure.
Real estate values continue to change, and Allegheny, before Onorato’s meddling, was attempting to keep its system current. He took the makings of a fairer system and polluted it with oddball caps that cheat property owners out of fair values.
Allegheny then wonders why the county is losing population to its neighbors. If Fayette wants to remain an attractive up-and-coming bedroom community then it would be wise for our commissioners to keep our property assessments current.
We suggest the commissioners start now finding ways to keep it fair as a property valuation system is never a mission accomplished, rather a work in progress.