News

6
Mar

Lancaster County Provides Information Regarding 2018 County-Wide Reassessment

*Information provided by the County of Lancaster Property Assessment

In 1997, Lancaster County Commissioners passed a resolution requiring reassessment of properties every eight (8) years. The last reassessment was effective as of 1/1/2005.

The reassessment scheduled for 2013 was postponed four years until 2017 because of the unpredictability and instability of real property values during the economic recession. In late 2015, it was voted to delay the reassessment for another year (2018) to ensure technology was in place to provide accurate assessment values.

All property parcels in Lancaster County will receive an updated assessment which represents an estimate of your property’s fair market value. It will be effective as of 1/1/18 for Municipal taxes and 7/1/18 for School District taxes. Tax Assessment staff members will not visit your property or seek access to your house. Current records are already on file as appraisers have maintained regular property visits and updated property records through construction permits received from boroughs and municipalities over the years.

Assessments are important because disparity in values can be created if too long of a period passes between them. Reassessment equalizes all assessments and current fair market values at 100% and ensures similar property types and neighborhoods are assessed fairly and uniformly.

TIMELINE:

·         A preliminary notice of your property’s new assessment will be mailed to you this March.

·         The County will have staff members at the Park City Mall Community Room from March 13th through March 31st, for those who want to review information concerning their property and confirm that the information is correct. Residents may also contact the County Assessment Office at 717-299-8381 during that time for the same reasons. If there are inaccuracies in your property information, you may provide current information and the County will evaluate it prior to issuing the final notice described below.

·         The County will mail a final notice establishing the assessment for your property on or about June 1st, 2017. Dissatisfied residents have the right to file an appeal within 40 days of the mailing date of the final notice. More information about filing an appeal may be obtained by contacting the County Assessment Office by visiting: www.co.lancaster.pa.us/ta.

An   increased assessment doesn’t necessarily mean a tax increase. All taxing bodies must adjust their current millage rate to attain revenue neutrality. Generally, some property owners will see a tax decrease while others will see an increase or stay the same. Individual tax bills will be dependent on the percentage increase of your individual assessment compared to the average percentage increase in your taxing jurisdiction.

Visit: www.co.lancaster.pa.us/ta and click on Quick Links for additional information on “Taxpayers Guide to 2018 Reassessment”