Challenging your property taxes this year?
You aren’t alone.
The Independence Townshp Board of Review will review 370 cases during the next two weeks. The board is comprised of township residents Terry Haran, Henry Hogan, and Susan Aulgur.
Most who appeared before the board March 6-12 were nice, and understanding of the board’s role, Aulgur said.
‘To say they have to appear before the board of review gives them this ‘court like? environment, but we are so informal, we don’t bite,? she said. ‘We are just like them, we all live in the township, we all pay taxes too.?
Auglur said she enjoys working on the board because she feels ‘it’s a service.?
‘I feel that I am helping the people that come in, number one, understand the taxing situation, understand the assessment, how it was arrived at, and to hear their complaints, their viewpoints, their opinions,? she said. ‘Where else in government can you go into an independent board and say ‘I don’t like this, I don’t like that? and they have the power to change it??
‘I enjoy it too because it refreshes my knowledge of the homes in the township,? said Hogan. ‘It keeps you on your toes in terms of values.?
Haran said he liked it because it was in line with what he had done for a living.
‘Having been an assessor, I knew what boards of review did, having been at them (the meetings) for 40 years, but I was on the assessor’s side. What was interesting for me was I knew all kinds of information about the market in Madison Heights where I worked, but I knew absolutely nothing about the community that I lived in (Independence Township) at the time when I first came.?
Aulgur attributes the success of the board to the Independence Township Assessing Department.
‘We have a wonderful assessing department in Independence Township. I would encourage anyone in the township who wants to know anything about their taxes, their SEV, taxable value, to go in and talk to the assessing department,? she said.
‘The assessing department will share all that they have with them, then when they get to the board of review, I would say approximately 90 percent of them understand what they’re assessed for. They may not agree with it, but they understand.?
Hogan, licensed realtor and attorney, has been on the board for 12 years. Haran who has been on the board for six years, was the tax assessor for the City of Madison Heights, worked for the Oakland County equalization department, and was in property tax administration for 41 years.
Aulgur, with four years on the board, is a licensed builder, realtor, and land developer, and also sits on the board for the North Oakland Land Conservancy.
‘They are one of the most consciences boards I’ve worked with,? said Beverly Shaver, Independence Township assessor. ‘They are very knowledgeable, they know the township, they know real-estate and they do listen to the public and read everything presented to them.?
Appointed by the township supervisor for two-year terms, they decide cases on a majority-rules basis.
‘Usually we all agree, but sometimes there are things that we do disagree on,? said Haran.
‘It’s up to the supervisor to pick people who have some real-estate knowledge,? Hogan said.
The board meets three times each year. In March, the Board hears appeals of value, poverty and classification.?
‘We can do what they call a poverty exemption,? said Hogan. ‘We can forgive the assessment, which basically means that there are no taxes.?
The criteria for poverty exemption are set by the township board, noted Haran.
In July and December, the board addresses clerical errors, mutual mistakes of fact, and poverty appeals.? Cases also include Principal Residence Exemptions from some school taxes.
In March the board is only required by law to meet two days. However, the Assessing Department expands that to five days and two evenings to give more residents a chance to meet with them.
‘For the five days that we hear the petitioners and the cases, we have two weeks more of decisions to make,? said Aulgur.
‘We don’t make a decision while the person is here, we just get the facts,? said Haran. ‘After the public hearing is over, we come together and begin to go through the cases one by one to determine if they’re right, if the township is right or if it’s somewhere in the middle.?
One of the differences between assessor and board of review is the board can look at individual properties and houses, noted Hogan.
‘They (the assessor) can’t raise an assessment on an individual property,? he said. ‘They have to take all the same properties in that neighborhood and appraise them. We can do individuals.?
For more information about the Assessment Appeals Board of Review visit the township website www.twp.independence.mi.us or call the township assessing office at 248-625-5111.