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Resident disputes Bartlett assessment; Selectmen cite home quality, extend abatement deadline
Summary
A Bartlett homeowner questioned why her property tax is higher than a neighbor's; Selectmen said assessment differences reflect home quality and depreciation, offered an April 1 abatement extension, and noted a town-wide revaluation in 2027.
Corinne Rocco told the Board of Selectmen that her house is assessed higher than a nearby property despite the neighbor's larger lot and older home. She said the neighbor pays about $1,000 less in taxes even though the neighbor's property has more land and a two-car garage, while her quarter-acre lot has a "1 1/4 car" garage.
Selectman Gene Chandler explained that the assessor compares a property to several recent sales and that assessed value reflects both age (depreciation) and the "quality" of a home. Chandler said, "the age of the house does affect the depreciation, but the quality of her home is higher than that of her neighbor's, therefore her assessment is higher." Town Administrator TA Jones added that taxpayers should focus on the property value rather than the absolute tax bill and confirmed the assessor visits properties; Jones also said abatement applications must be filed annually and that Rocco had filed in 2023.
When Rocco asked about deadlines, Chandler said the normal abatement deadline is March 1 but he would give her until April 1 to submit an application because her correspondence began in January. Chandler also reminded the meeting that the town plans a town-wide revaluation in 2027. The Selectmen's office provided Ms. Rocco with assessment cards for the comparable properties during the meeting and advised that a formal abatement is required to pursue a change in assessment.
