Property Tax Assessment Bills Spur Protests and Assessment Appeals in South Florida
Our Fort Lauderdale property tax assessment appeal attorneys were not surprised to see that South Florida homeowners are upset about property tax increases. According to an Aug. 28 article in the Miami Herald, proposed tax notices are arriving at homesteads throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County, and some property owners are upset at the increases they’re receiving. As a result, the newspaper said, thousands are calling their county property tax appraisers to complain, and some even took to Miami’s streets Aug. 27 to protest the increases. One homeowner advocate in Broward County said homeowners were “absolutely flipping out.”
The problem is the bad economy, which drove both the tax increases and the protests. The Herald said many Florida cities are raising their property tax rates by 20% or more because home prices have plunged dramatically, which means cities will lose tax revenue. However, the same bad economy means many homeowners are facing their own financial squeeze: loss of equity in their homes, loss of investment value and a high rate of unemployment. Possibly as a result, the Broward County assessor’s office had received more than 14,000 phone calls and visits since Aug. 17. Tax increases highlighted in the article were as high as $300 a year; the article said the increase would be about $150 for a homesteaded $164,000 home.
Tax rates are set by cities and counties and can be hard to challenge. But as the article notes, property owners who believe their properties are overvalued have the right to challenge that assessment -- and potentially lower their taxes -- with an appeal. In this process, homeowners apply for a hearing before a board of independent property assessors without a connection to the county government. This board’s job is only to determine whether the assessment being challenged reflects the fair market value of the property as of January 1. If homeowners disagree with the board’s decision, they may file lawsuits in Florida civil court. Deadlines for requesting this hearing vary by county, but are generally about a month after the notice was mailed.
At Balliro, Galasso, Leskovich & Seltzer, we offer help for homeowners navigating the bureaucratic and sometimes complicated appeal process. Right away, we can help by making sure clients don’t miss the one-month deadline -- which can take away their right to challenge the assessment. We can also represent you at the Value Adjustment Board hearing, helping to build a strong case that your property was overvalued. Getting involved early also helps our Fort Myers property tax appeal lawyers prepare for filing a civil case, if necessary, to challenge an adverse decision by the board. The county and city governments have multiple lawyers working to justify their decisions; hiring your own attorney is just one way to even the playing field.
