By Angela Brown

Town of Battleford’s assessment appeals process starting soon

Jul 26, 2017 | 10:00 AM

Town of Battleford residents who wanted to appeal their property re-assessment values had until Tuesday (July 25) to do so.

By deadline the town received a total of four appeals.

This year, overall residential properties had increased assessment values. All properties in the province were reassessed in 2017; the last time the full reassessment was completed was in 2013

In the new reassessment for the town of Battleford, residential property value increased by 34.5 per cent on average, while multi-unit residential value went up by 95 per cent from 2013.

Mayor Ames Leslie said after the appeal deadline there is a process in place before any decisions are made.

Meadow Lake arena and recreation facility

Innovation Federal Credit Union donates up to $1-million in community match

2h ago

Weekend hockey

PAGC set to host largest Senator's Cup tournament to date

3h ago

Riderville

Riders Have Options Heading into Tuesday CFL Draft

6h ago

“I don’t know how many appeals we will have. We will see how many there actually are and go from there,” said Leslie.   

Leslie said the higher value assessment wasn’t a surprise after the four-year interim period since the last assessment.

A benefit of having a higher property assessment might be that in the long-run residents’ properties are worth more as an investment.

“In the end, you have to weigh that,” said Leslie. “If your assessment is higher and you do want to sell your house, it’s a good reflection of what the value of your home may be.”

However, residents’ taxes will increase if their residential property is assessed higher.

Leslie said the increase in assessment is part of the reason why the town decreased its mill rate this year when determining taxes.

Leslie said it’s difficult to estimate how long the assessment appeal process will take.

“There is a Review Board that will take a look at it,” he said. “Sometimes it may be a fiscal representative comes out and assesses the value of your home, and not necessarily based on building permits, or additions or improvements that were done.”

City of North Battleford had a high number of appeals this year in its tally.

The 2017 assessment notices were sent out in February, while the assessment roll closed April 24.

The city reported 47 appeals in total for all property classes, from its 2017 re-assessments.

In the city, residential property had an assessment value increase of 18 per cent on average this year, compared to the last assessment in 2013. Multi-unit residential assessment value increased by 40 per cent.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW