Ridgewood outlines reassessment process, vows public outreach and inspection safeguards

Ridgewood officials told residents at a March 25 council workshop that a county order requires the town to update property assessments and outlined how the reassessment will work and how residents can participate.

The reassessment was ordered after officials found Ridgewood’s assessment ratio had fallen to about 60 percent of market value. Deputy mayor introduced Tax Assessor William Palumbo and appraisal contractor Appraisal Systems, which will appraise properties to 100 percent of fair market value as of Oct. 1, 2026; the new values will be used for the 2027 tax year. Palumbo said the village chose a reassessment rather than a full revaluation to use the town’s existing records and save an estimated $400,000.

Appraisal Systems’ project manager, Rob Resha, said a reassessment is intended to be revenue neutral: the total tax levy remains the same while the tax rate adjusts to reflect higher aggregate assessed values. Using examples, Resha explained that an owner whose assessment rises in line with the town average would see little change in taxes because the rate would fall proportionally; owners whose values change more or less than the average will see increases or decreases respectively.

Resha outlined the seven‑step reassessment timeline the company will follow, including inspector identification, exterior and interior inspections, preliminary value letters and opportunities for informal meetings before final values are turned over to the town and the county. He emphasized safety and legitimacy measures: inspectors will carry photo IDs, the assessor and clerk will have lists of inspectors, the police will be notified of inspection areas, and a publicly posted spreadsheet will list who has been issued for inspection. Property owners may decline interior inspection and instead request a virtual inspection; if no interior access is granted by the end of the process, appraisers will prepare a “blue estimate” that reflects the highest reasonable potential value to avoid advantaging noncooperating owners.

The council and contractor announced a public forum for residents on Tuesday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers. Officials said they will post the presentation on the village website and publish neighborhood maps, inspector schedules and a predicted‑tax calculator. Preliminary value letters cannot be mailed earlier than Nov. 10 by law, and final values are subject to the statutory appeal process through the county Board of Taxation.

Council members said they are monitoring misinformation circulating on social media and urged residents to verify notices on the municipality’s website. Staff also committed to targeted outreach to neighborhoods and paper notices where needed for residents who do not use social media. The reassessment presentation and Q&A are scheduled to repeat at the March 31 forum, and appraisal staff will be available at that public meeting to answer homeowner questions.

The council did not take a vote on policy changes at the workshop; the meeting served to inform residents and to announce the forum and next steps. The reassessment inspections are expected to begin the week after the forum, with first visits anticipated through late summer; appeals and follow‑up will continue into 2027.