Letter to the editor: Allegheny County's unfair tax deadline

The deadline for filing an assessment appeal in Allegheny County is March 31, 2022, for the 2022 tax year. We are the only county that favors the taxing bodies over homeowners in the state. Here’s the tax scheme (or scam):

• Certify assessments

• Mail tax bills

• Appeal hearing decisions after most taxes have been paid

• Many tax increases and some decreases occur late in the year following appeals

All appeals decisions in 2022 will be retroactive. This is unfair because that is not how it’s done in other counties. New homebuyers in 2021 and the first three months of 2022 will, in many cases, pay 40% to 50% more in annual taxes. County government says this practice is legal, and it won’t fix the problem by updating all values.

Here’s the Allegheny County tax cycle: Assess, tax and appeal (additional tax increases and refunds).

Here’s the cycle in 66 other counties: Assess, appeal and tax (no tax increases or tax refunds).

The state Tax Equalization Division will certify an assessment/sales ratio by July 1 for the 2021 calendar tax year. If this ratio is used this year, it will result in newcomers paying much less in tax increases on appeal. State lawmakers and county lawmakers must ask for a change in the loophole that favors taxing bodies in these appeals.

The Allegheny County executive has said we should follow what other counties do regarding reassessments and base year systems. Why can’t we follow the lead in the appeals process?

Mike Suley

Scott