IAAO adviser recommends more frequent valuations, clearer appeals and updated tech for Vermont property tax system

The House Ways & Means Committee heard a broad review of assessment best practices and recommendations for Vermont’s property tax system on the topic of statewide appraisals, presented by Justin Imers, an assessment adviser with the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO).

Imers told lawmakers that “current market value implies annual assessments of all properties,” a standard the IAAO uses to define best practice, and said his team compared Vermont’s processes with practices in other states and with IAAO standards. The presentation summarized surveys of other state oversight agencies and stakeholder interviews in Vermont, and reviewed tools and governance structures used elsewhere.

Why it matters: the state’s approach to valuation and inspection affects how education funding is calculated and how property-tax obligations are distributed among homeowners. The committee’s work could change the frequency of revaluations, the appeals process, and the technology used by local assessors.

Imers laid out several core findings and recommendations. On reappraisal and reinspection cycles, he said many states produce new values annually and that IAAO recommends annual assessments to meet a strict interpretation of current market value. At the same time, IAAO guidance…