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Tax department urges plan for regional assessment districts after Act 73 created structure but not administrator
Summary
The Department of Taxes told a House panel Act 73 (2025) established 12 regional assessment districts and a six‑year reappraisal cycle, but the state lacks an entity to implement and organize reappraisals and appeals for many small towns facing contractor backlogs.
Montpelier — The director of the Division of Property Valuation and Review told the House Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee that Vermont now has a statutory framework for regional assessment districts but no standing entity to carry out the work those districts require.
Jill Remick said Act 73 of 2025 established 12 regional assessment districts and a six‑year reappraisal cycle, but municipalities still must find contractors to conduct reappraisals and many small towns cannot secure vendors because of capacity constraints and uneven land records. She said some reappraisal firms are already booked into 2031 for certain towns.
Remick suggested the committee consider whether school districts or other existing entities could serve as a platform for regional assessment work, and urged the panel to think about how the new RADs should be organized, governed and funded to ensure consistent reappraisal quality and timely appeals processing.
Why it matters: Property reappraisal affects statewide education grand lists and local tax equity. Remick said a state-level policy for organizing RAD operations would help towns that currently cannot attract reappraisal contractors and reduce long-term valuation backlogs.
What’s next: The committee did not adopt a plan during the hearing; Remick said the tax department will continue to work with the committee and stakeholders on implementation and pilots.
