Record number of property tax assessment appeals filed this year

Property owners filed a record number of property tax assessment appeals this year, county officials said Thursday.

The number of appeals filed was up 13.8 percent compared to last year — to 9,450 appeals compared to 8,302 in 2010, officials said. There were 6,081 appeals filed in 2009 and 1,370 appeals in 2008.

The county Board of Equalization will hear the appeals in at least 17 meetings scheduled for January, February and March.

The county assessor’s office is required by law to send notices to the county’s 732,000 property owners by Dec. 18 notifying them of the value placed on their property. The owners had until Jan. 15 to file an appeal with the county.

Many cases are resolved based on the property owner providing more information to the assessor’s office, but if an agreement is not reached, the Board of Equalization, which has five members and 11 alternates appointed by county commissioners, hears the appeal.

Last year, the board ruled in favor of the county at a rate of two to one, officials said.

If the homeowner disagrees with the board’s decision, he or she may appeal to the state Board of Equalization and then to the Eighth Judicial District Court.

The county Board of Equalization is scheduled to meet Jan. 28 and 31, Feb. 7, 9, 11, 14, 17, 18, 22, 23, 25, 26 and 28, and March 5, 7, 9 and 11. But the dates and times of the meetings may change, county officials said.

The meetings will be broadcast live on the county’s television station, on Cox channel 4, for the second year. The meetings will also be available on the county’s website, www.ClarkCountyNV.gov.