Newton reassessment process about to enter home visit phase: What you need to know
NEWTON - The town's reassessment process will move into the "field work" phase by the first week of August when assessors will visit every property in Newton, according to Scott Holzhauer, town assessor.
The assessor spoke with the Town Council at its Monday meeting to answer questions on the upcoming phase of a reassessment the council approved earlier this year. That move came after the council and assessor were notified by the state that Newton's assessment rolls should be updated.
The first phase of that reassessment involves experts going through assessment "cards" which list every piece of property in the town and what's located at that address. That process is followed by taking updated property cards out to inspect what differences there might be between the card and the property.
As part of the process, assessors, with proper notice and identification, ask to look inside to compare what's on the card with what's actually inside and whether any building or other permits had been filed for that property. The assessor might also take pictures of the interior as well.
Newton NJ A curfew for kids in Newton? Council puts plan in motion
Holzhauer said a property owner has the right to refuse entry to the assessor, however, the assessor could then make assumptions of the interior.
In response to a comment from the council that homeowners are wary of a stranger looking at the inside of their home, the assessor said that "personal property" is not part of the assessment process. "(The assessor) doesn't care if you have an 80-inch TV," Holzhauer said.
He noted that the town's website has a video presentation of the reassessment process. He said his office or the County Board of Taxation can also answer specific questions. The assessors who are doing the field work will be carrying proper identification.
In answer to a comment from the board about people complaining that the reassessment will result in higher tax bills, Holzhauer said the bottom line on a tax bill is the result of several factors, such as property value, the tax rate and tax equalization rate and the budget.
The state's reasoning for asking the town to do the reassessment was that the last one was done several years ago and the property information on the town's tax rolls needed to be given a closer look.
The state Department of the Treasury also recommends that municipalities do a reassessment at least every five years.
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Newton NJ reassessment process enters home visit phase
