Dickinson board caps residential revaluation increases at 15% after assessor presentation and public outcry

The Dickinson City Board of Equalization on April 29 approved a motion to cap residential revaluation increases at 15% for this round of revaluations, exempting new construction and properties sold within the last 24 months, after an extended presentation by the city assessor and more than two hours of public comment.

The board’s action came after City Assessor Joe Hirschfeld summarized how the assessor’s office determines “true and full value,” explained the city’s six-year revaluation plan and showed data on recent market activity. “There’s a lot of misunderstanding about the role of assessors and how they affect the property tax that homeowners pay,” Hirschfeld said during his presentation, adding that assessors determine value but do not set tax rates.

The decision followed wide-ranging public testimony from homeowners who said their assessed values had risen sharply this year. Multiple speakers described single-year increases they called “sticker shock,” and asked the board for relief or a phased approach. Mason Simons told the board his assessed value had increased roughly 30% in one year and urged steps to limit future increases; others, including Diane…