It's a go, property reassessment is coming to Mercer County

May 18—MERCER — Property reassessment is arriving in Mercer County for the first time in over 50 years.

On Thursday Mercer County commissioners unanimously awarded the reassessment contract to Tyler Technologies, Moraine, Ohio, with its $3.804 million bid. Commissioner Tim McGonigle cast his vote as, "Hell yes."

Tyler beat out Hudson, Mass.-based Vision Government Solution's $5.560 million bid. Commissioners also awarded two other separate bids to Tyler, $40,509 for assessment software and other technology and $10,685 for an annual maintenance renewal of record keeping.

The process for reassessing the 60,500 parcels in Mercer County will begin mid-summer, Cathy S. Herriott, chief tax assessor who attended the meeting said.

It will take at least a couple years for reassessments to be completed, Herriott said, with the new assessments likely to go into effect in 2027.

"We want to be as accurate as we can," Commissioner Matt McConnell said.

Tyler and the county's assessment office will be gearing up for a public relations campaign to explain how the process works.

While an assessor might visit a property, there shouldn't be a reason for them to enter a home, Herriott said.

Pennsylvania law allows for all types of properties — including mills, distilleries, office buildings and parking lots — to be placed on the tax rolls.

But the big one is residential homes owned by individuals or families.

There's twists and turns in assessing a home's value. It's size and location are major factors. Two identical homes may fetch different values based on the communities they're in or even different neighborhoods in the same community.

Regular maintenance and repairs isn't considered adding to a home's value over time.

For example, replacing a home's worn-out roof isn't considered an upgrade. Rather, it's regular maintenance.

But it may not be that simple.

Pennsylvania law requires the material be "reasonably similar in function, quality, material and dimensions" on what it's replacing.

Replacing an asphalt shingle roof with similar shingles isn't an upgrade. But replacing it with pricier slate might be.

Adding to a home's "footprint," such as building an addition or adding a patio will jack up its assessment as it adds to the home's value.

State law also allows for many properties — such as parks and non-profit entities — to be exempt from property taxes.

That would include Grove City Memorial Park and Greenville's Rivderside Park which are owned by their respective communities. It also includes Buhl Park in Hermitage and Brandy Springs Park in Mercer. Both are privately owned by different non-profit organizations but their land is open for public use.

Hospitals owned by UPMC Horizon AHN Grove City are exempted from assessments because they're owned by non-profit organizations. However, Sharon Regional Medical Center is included because it's a for-profit healthcare provider.

Property owners can appeal their assessment. The county last reassessed property values in 1971.

County property reassessments are required to be revenue neutral. In other words, a county can't use reassessments as a back door to hike taxes.

It isn't just a matter that commissioners are supportive of that concept, McConnell said.

"It's the law," he added.