2023 Municipal Revaluations in Connecticut
A large number of Connecticut municipalities are conducting revaluations as of October 1, 2023. Please see below* for a link to the list of Connecticut municipalities conducting these revaluations.
A notice containing the proposed new assessment of your property will be mailed before the end of this year. The notice usually includes an opportunity to attend an informal hearing with the revaluation company or the assessor's office to discuss the new assessment, which represents 70% of the proposed fair market value of your property.
If these discussions are not successful, the deadline for formally protesting an assessment to a municipality's Board of Assessment Appeals (BAA) is February 20, 2024, although some communities may extend the date to March 20, 2024. Appeal forms should be available on the municipality's website as the deadline approaches. This protest is required in order to file a Superior Court tax appeal challenging value. Under certain circumstances, a tenant responsible for taxes can file the appeal.
As part of the protest, the owner must furnish an opinion of the fair market value of its property. Great care should be taken in completing the protest application so as not to compromise any appeal rights. Hearings are usually conducted in March and April. A written notice must be mailed to the taxpayer within one week of the Board's decision. Boards of Assessment Appeals may opt to decline a hearing for commercial property assessed above $1 million. We find that BAAs are frequently taking this option.
If an owner is not satisfied with the Board's decision, the next and final remedy is an appeal to Superior Court. The deadline for appealing to Superior Court is within two months from the date that the Board's decision is mailed. The case is heard by a judge without a jury. If the Board changes your value but not to the extent you requested, failure to appeal that decision may preclude any appeal until the next revaluation.
We encourage you to be proactive in monitoring the revaluation process and your new assessment so that you may take all necessary steps to ensure that the assessment is fair and equitable. The deadlines mentioned here are mandatory and cannot be extended.
Please also keep in mind that assessments of like-properties must be equalized. Significant disparities in the values of similar properties may be actionable even if the proposed value of a given property, standing alone, is appropriate.
Should you require assistance at any step in this process, the attorneys and paralegals of Pullman & Comley's Property Tax and Valuation Department have substantial experience in this field.
* You may find the list of Connecticut municipalities conducting October 1, 2023 revaluations on the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) website.