Monday, April 2, 2012
Life gets busy. Deadlines creep up on us all. Patch helps you to remember—before it's too late.
Welcome to Last Chance, a Patch series reminding you of deadlines you don't want to miss. This week's dates to remember? 1.) Today is the last day for property owners in Allegheny County to file formal appeals of their 2013 court-ordered reassessments. Forms must be postmarked on or before today. They also may be taken to one of several collection points today. “I encourage all property owners to file a formal appeal by Monday’s deadline to preserve their legal rights,” County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said in a statement. “In fact, I am filing an appeal on my own property because I do not agree with its 2013 court-ordered reassessment value," he said. "Appeals may always be withdrawn, but once Monday’s deadline passes, property owners …
Friday, March 30, 2012
Deadline to appeal is April 2.
With the deadline to file a formal appeal on assessments fast approaching, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald is holding informational meetings throughout the region. The first was held Wednesday at Baldwin High School, and Fitzgerald held another Thursday evening at Brashear High School with Pittsburgh City Council member James Ellenbogen. Similar meetings will be held in all 13 Allegheny County districts to help people prepare for an appeals process that many hope will lower their assessments. The deadline to make a formal appeal on the assessments is April 2. The form to do so is available online or by visiting the Office of Property Assessments. The deadline to schedule an informal review has passed, but those who have already …
Monday, March 12, 2012
Learn why Allegheny County properties were reassessed, how they were reassessed and what you need to know to file an appeal.
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald estimated 500 residents attended Thursday night's town hall meeting on the new assessments. Fitzgerald and Allegheny County Councilman Vince Gastgeb organized the informational meeting at Bethel Park High School for South Hills residents confused about the county's reassessments. Many people in attendance said they were angry and wanted answers. An Upper St. Clair single mother told Fitzgerald and the crowd that her assessment increased by 60 percent and she was no longer going to be able to afford her house. Another Upper St. Clair resident expressed his disgust that, in his research, he found many high-end homes in the township were under assessed and many lower-end homes were over assessed. …
Friday, January 13, 2012
Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr. ruled that new property assessments wouldn't go into effect until 2013.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
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Friday, January 13, 2012
Allegheny County residents will be taxed on their 2002 property assessments for another year. Allegheny County Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr. ruled on Thursday that newly issued property assessments would be implemented in 2013 instead of this year. The court ordered that the Pittsburgh School District, the City of Pittsburgh and Mt. Oliver Borough—which already received new assessment values—are permitted to use the 2011 assessment for the purpose of setting their budgets and levying taxes for 2012. Wettick also provided that the 2012 reassessment values be used for the 2013 tax year for those taxing bodies. According to a press release issued by the office of County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Wettick stated that the court would decide what…
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Judge R. Stanton Wettick ordered executives to continue with property assessments on Tuesday.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Allegheny County Judge R. Stanton Wettick has ordered residents to abide by new property reassessments and county executives to continue working on the process. On Tuesday, Wettick said residents who have already received the new assessments must abide by them, despite last week's declaration by County Executive Rich Fitzgerald that the numbers were "null and void." According to WPXI, Wettick decided not to hold Fitzgerald in contempt, but said he would hold county officials in contempt if they don't move forward with the reassessment process. On Thursday, Wettick is scheduled to vote on a request from Pittsburgh City Council to delay using the values for another year, according to WPXI. “This order is just more evidence of the court …
Friday, January 6, 2012
Judge to hold court hearing on property assessments today.
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Friday, January 6, 2012
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald could be found in contempt for not following the 2012 reassessment, WTAE reports. Judge Stanton Wettick will consider a motion to find Fitzgerald in contempt at a hearing today, Friday, at 2 p.m. According to WTAE's report, Fitzgerald believes he is in compliance with state law, although he did not follow Wettick's order to complete the 2012 reassessments.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald said Thursday that 2012 assessments will remain at 2002 levels.
Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald said it over and over again during a press conference Thursday afternoon: When it comes to property tax reassessment, Allegheny County shouldn’t be singled out. That’s one reason Fitzgerald said he directed the certification of the 2011 assessed values for 2012 taxation purposes—values that are based on the 2002 tax year. For county property owners, that means the assessment numbers they received in the mail last week are “null and void.” New notices would be sent out Thursday, Fitzgerald said, and those are “the ones that matter.” And he was clear: Despite a court order mandated a property tax reassessment, he is following all state laws. “Earlier this week, I took an oath to uphold the laws of the …
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald increases staffing, phone lines doubled, email review confirmation under development.
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Thursday, January 5, 2012
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has increased staffing for the Office of Property Assessments so that more lines are available for callers to request an informal hearing in response to the reassessments that were mailed to property owners last week. Fifteen staff people have been designated to take calls and schedule an informal review. A total of 40 lines are now available for callers. Callers may still experience busy signals if all 40 lines are utilized. The county has also requested that the number of lines available be doubled to 80 and expects that will be accomplished within the next day. The phone number to schedule an appeal is 412-350-4600 and staff is available from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. …
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Rich Fitzgerald asked for unity in his inauguration speech as the county faces many challenges.
New Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald asked for unity over the next few years as his administration works to tackle numerous challenges facing the region. Despite controversial issues such as property reassessments, transportation funding cuts and Marcellus Shale development, Fitzgerald said he sees an opportunity to grow as other parts of the country struggle. “We’re going to have to find innovative solutions to those problems,” Fitzgerald said after he was sworn-in Tuesday afternoon as Allegheny County’s third chief executive. “I’m so optimistic. I’m so optimistic that we’ve turned a corner in this region.” Fitzgerald said in the upcoming days he will unveil how he plans to fight the state-mandated property reassessments that …
Friday, December 23, 2011
Allegheny County Executive-elect Rich Fitzgerald's new website has info about his Jan. 3 inauguration.
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Friday, December 23, 2011
When Allegheny County Executive-elect Rich Fitzgerald takes office on Jan. 3, he'll start with a new website and two new staff members. Amie Downs, who has served as Chief of Staff to State Senator Wayne D. Fontana and has been responsible for communications, legislation and policy for the past six years, will begin Jan. 3 as Director of Communications for the county. Prior to her tenure with the Senator, Amie served as Director of Legislative Services for Allegheny County Council. Jennifer Liptak will begin Jan. 3 as Chief of Staff to the County Executive. Since 2004, she has served as County Council’s Budget Director and was responsible for assisting Council in the development of the annual Operating, Capital, Grants, and Special …
dormonter
7:11 pm on Friday, March 30, 2012
Did anyone thank Rich Fitzgerald for the tax increase of 25% that we have to pay THIS year? Can we appeal that too??? more ›