York County commissioners hear Cornish property tax abatement appeal

The York County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 6 heard an appeal from a Cornish property owner challenging the town’s denial of a tax-abatement request on a house the owner uses as a residence and small bed-and-breakfast.

The owner, identified in the hearing as Gretchen, told commissioners she purchased the home in 2016 and provided a history of valuations and repairs to argue the town’s 2024 assessment of $709,000 is too high. She said the property had previously been assessed by the town at $345,000 at the time of purchase, was appraised by a bank at about $280,000 when she bought it, and that a 2017 bank appraisal showed $330,000. She said a 2018 assessor’s visit returned a valuation of about $465,000 and that the town granted a $40,000 abatement in 2018 after her petition.

Gretchen said she…