Property assessment protests take dive

By Dan MacArthur
North Forty News

Property assessment appeals this year declined by 29 percent from those filed in the previous 2005 reappraisal and nearly 50 percent from the record number of protests four years ago.

Larimer County Assessor Steve Miller said 9,007 protests were filed during the just-completed protest period. He said those protests represent 11,300 of the 141,000 parcels in the county.

That figure compares with 14,783 protests filed in 2005 and 17,275 filed in 2003, according to Miller. In addition to the decline in protests, Miller said, state auditors found that the accuracy of assessments increased 12 percent since 2005.

Miller also said taxpayers seemed pleased with improvements in the office's web page. "The property owners are really using that stuff to their advantage," he said.

In addition to better determining the accuracy of their assessments, Miller said, taxpayers are providing assistance by identifying undervalued properties.

"There are always undervalued pockets," said Miller. "We didn't screw up anywhere specifically."

"We've done everything we can do to make it easier to protest," he added, noting that on-line protests will be available in 2009.