HOLLISTER
The county assessor is calling a reassessment letter sent to local homeowners a “scam.”
A letter from Property Tax Reassessment, a Los Angeles-based firm, has been sent to households in San Benito County and across the state regarding the firm’s ability to reassess a property owner’s tax rate for the year. County Assessor Tom Slavich said the office has received more than 100 phone calls and that many people are coming in the office about the letter.
“It’s a scam – a rip-off,” Slavich told supervisors this week. “It’s happening all over the state, and the actual letter the entity is sending is misleading. It looks rather official, so it’s very misleading.”
The letter has two values for each residence, one for the current assessed value and one for the proposed value – which the firm has established, not the assessor’s office. For a service fee of $179, this firm will reassess a homeowner’s property. If a homeowner misses the date to send in that money, a $30 late fee will be applied. Also, if there isn’t a reduction in property value, the service fee will be refunded.
The Free Lance could not immediately reach a representative from the business before publication.
Slavich said there is no reason to pay for this service because the county will do it for free and that even if someone chooses to use this service, the assessment company would have to file findings with the assessment office to re-evaluate the property.
A county assessment costs nothing to the homeowner, and to schedule one, residents should call the office.
The assessor’s office assessed around 3,000 properties last year, according to Slavich, and is looking to do around 6,000 this year.
“We are swamped,” Slavich said.
If you receive a letter and would like to ask the county assessor’s office for more information, call (831) 636-4030.
