County assessor's office explains "notice of value" and appeal options at community Q&A

Damien Lara, a meeting participant, opened a community Q&A at the Quiki Saavedra Community Center and invited property owners to bring questions about recent mailings and property taxes.

An official with the county assessor's office said the "notice of value" is the assessor's estimate of what a property is worth and lists any property tax savings programs for which an owner may qualify. "Your notice of value is the information that the county assessor has about your property," the official said, and urged owners to check it for accuracy and missing exemptions.

The official told attendees there is a strict review window. "You have 30 days to review that information, ensure that the value is correct, and that if we haven't applied any property tax savings for which you may qualify, that we get those applied," the official said. If an owner disagrees with the assessed amount, the assessor's office official explained two options for recourse: "First, you can file a protest directly with your county assessor, and that is free of cost, and you do that within 30 days of receiving your notice of value."

The official added that if an owner misses the 30-day protest window, they can still pursue a claim through the courts: "If you miss that opportunity, then you can file a claim for refund directly with the 2nd Judicial District Court and you have to do that within 60 days of receiving your tax bill." The session concluded informally with attendees thanking staff for the explanation; no formal action or vote was taken.