Apr. 23, 2014:  The Village of Bronxville Board of Assessment Review granted approximately $3.9 million in total property assessment reductions for 17 of the 54 cases presented on its annual grievance night, held on February 18. The village's final assessment roll was posted on March 18.

Village property assessor Gerry Iagallo reported that, for the fourth consecutive year, the board saw a drop in the number of tax grievance cases presented to dispute property assessments.

The board holds a grievance night annually to offer property owners the opportunity to appear in person or send a representative to present their cases in the hope of gaining a reduced property assessment. The board of assessment review reviewed and decided 62 cases in 2013, 75 cases in 2012, and 124 cases in 2011.

"We were anticipating more cases this year," Iagallo said, "so this was a happy circumstance." He attributes the steady drop in the number of tax grievance cases to the policy of examining one-third of village properties each year for reassessment. The "rolling" reassessment serves to bring and maintain the village tax roll in closer conformity with current real estate market values.

In-person appeals before the board of assessment review were made on behalf of five commercial properties and fifteen single-family homes and attached dwellings. Eight property owners appeared before the board to plead their cases, and seventeen representatives stood in for the remaining forty-six properties, comprising single-family residences, attached dwellings, condominiums, cooperative apartments, and commercial properties.

Properties disputed in person ranged in assessed value from a high of $24.5 million to a low of $623,000, one of two self-represented properties valued at less than $1 million. In-person requests for reductions in assessments ranged from $9 million, approximately 59% of assessed value, for a cooperative apartment property, to $72,260, approximately 4.5% of assessed value, for an attached dwelling property.

A quorum of the board of assessment review members, Robert Shearer, chair, Christina Eldridge, and Lisa Connors, met in March to issue final decisions on the grievance cases. Board members John Hill and David Harris had excused absences from the meeting.

The largest reductions granted overall were $685,500 to Bow Tie Cinemas on Kraft Avenue and $610,400 to the owner of a single-family residence.

Iagallo noted that most residential cases brought before the board involve properties recently sold and disputes with apartment complexes.

Most commercial property owners seeking assessment relief argued that financial operations of the properties do not produce sufficient income to warrant the property value indicated on the village tentative assessment roll. They substantiated their cases with recent property appraisals, leases, rent rolls, and year-end financial statements.

Each property owner who filed a dispute with the board of assessment review received a written notice of the board's decision during the first week of April. According to Gerry Iagallo, property owners dissatisfied with the outcome of their cases have 30 days from notification to file either a small claims action on residential property or an Article 7 proceeding on commercial property. The Westchester County Supreme Court will hear either action.

Pictured here:  Robert Shearer, chair of the Village of Bronxville Board of Assessment Review.

Photo by A. Warner