Everything you didn’t want to know about your property assessment, and more….

Homeowners in the town of Barnstable have absolutely had no luck with assessors, and the Board of Assessors, for the last twenty years.

WHY?  Money talks, and apathy walks...

For fourteen years the assessor's office was occupied by a yet to be caught Level 3 sex offender whose town hall computer hard drive had more kiddie porn stored on it than property valuations.

After a town computer geek worked on his computer, the Assessor was subsequently fired, convicted, jailed, and paroled, but twenty years of unfair commercial assessment damage to residential properties may never be corrected.

Kiddie porn and defense lawyers are expensive, and the guy survived with a very short sentence, and without reducing his standard of living.

During Assessor Widdie's term the commercial share of the costs of running the town dropped from 20.5% to 11.5%, and to put icing in the cake, each year he and the Board of Assessors voted not to recommend the Residential Exemption, and Split Tax Rate, to town managers, including John Klimm, and town councils.

In her recent position letter Janet Joakim set the stage to throw the town manager and assessor under the bus, with her claim she didn't support the Split Tax Rate

• "because of information given to her".

Joakim has read this blog for three years, but totally ignored my information, which is 180 degrees from Rudziak's baloney.

In light of conflicting information, Joakim never picked up the telephone to call someone at the DOR to learn of the tax inequities for herself.

Since Joakim was elected commercial property owners got to eat their cake and keep it too with

• property assessments at a fraction of their value, and
  

• sharply declining tax rates ($12.80 in F/Y 01 to $5.80 in F/Y 08).
  

While commercial property owners were paying less and less property taxes, Barnstable's Average Single Family Home's Tax Bills increased from

• $1,304 in F/Y88 to
  

• $2,784 in F/Y06.

The DOR does not report Average Single Family Tax Bills in communities adopting the Residential Exemption, ergo no average bills since F/Y06 in Barnstable have been reported.

If you live in Barnstable the Average Single Family Tax Bills do not include Fire District Taxes (the average valued home in Barnstable Village incurred a separate fire district tax bill of $1,086 in F/Y08.)

The following chart that depicts sharp increases of Barnstable's Average Single Family Tax Bills would portray exponentially sharper increases if fire district taxes were included.

Assessor Matheison hired in 2003 lasted two years, and the new Assessor, Jeff Rudziak has been on board since.

In F/Y 08 Barnstable completed its three-year assessming certification with the DOR, and once again Assessor Rudziak crapped all over homeowners by increasing home values in a bust housing market to finance more three-martini lunches for his business pals.

Rudziak could care less that many elderly have to choose between; medicine, heat, or food, when he advised the town council to vote against the Split Tax Rate.

Rudziak doesn't live in Barnstable.

Rudziak is a slothful rat, a pawn of wealthy commercial property owners, and an enemy of homeowners.

There shouldn't be any doubt how I feel about our assessor.

Rudziak should be neutral on the split tax; after all homeowners pay 90% of his salary.

FOLLOWING IS MASSACHUSETTS ASSESSING LAW AND REGULATIONS;

The primary responsibility of assessors is to value all real and personal property in their municipality each year for tax assessment purposes.


Every three years, these valuations must be reviewed by the Department of Revenue (DOR) and certified as meeting legal standards.

Valuations in years between this triennial certification must also meet legal standards, but they are not certified by DOR.

Assessors are required by Massachusetts law to assess all real and personal property at its fair cash value as of January 1 each year.

 Fair cash value means fair market value, which is the price a willing buyer and a willing seller would settle upon in an open market transaction, i.e., they expended a reasonable effort to determine a price and there are no special circumstances involved.

To determine market value, assessors must evaluate a number of factors that impact the amount a willing buyer and seller would agree to, including:

The time, volume and price of sales for the same type of property in the general area.

• The location of the property.

• The number of properties available for sale relative to the number of buyers seeking them.

Mass appraisal is assessing law in Massachusetts, and is defined as the use of standardized procedures for collecting data and appraising property to ensure that all properties within a municipality are valued uniformly and equitably.

It is the process of valuing a group of properties as of a given date, using common data, employing standardized methods and conducting statistical tests to ensure uniformity and equity in the valuations.

Assessors use mass appraisal procedures and techniques when determining the fair cash value of properties in their municipalities.

Assessors must gather and analyze property sales data in order to conduct a mass appraisal program.

The sales prices of comparable properties that sold in close proximity to the assessment date are the primary indicators of property values in a municipality.

Assessors should use a variety of sources to identify all of the real property sales that occurred in the municipality,

• The registry of deeds generally sends to each of the communities in its jurisdiction copies of new deeds recorded each month with their book and page numbers shown on the copies.

• The registry information will generally list all of the real estate included in each sale and disclose the selling price.

• Periodicals like Bankers and Tradesman regularly publish information about real estate sales transactions, setting out selling prices, names of buyers and sellers and property classes and uses.

• The Barnstable Patriot frequently publishes information about real estate transactions.

• Real estate brokers generally have information about property sales.

• Frequently, they can provide distinctive information, such as what was included in a sale.

• Bank and estate appraisers may also have information about a municipality’s sales market.

The validity of a sales analysis depends on the identification and selection of arms-length sales.

An arms-length sale is a transfer of property ownership between:

• A willing seller not under compulsion to sell, and

• A willing buyer not under compulsion to buy.

• The transaction is between two unrelated parties, each of which is reasonably knowledgeable of market conditions and under no pressure to buy or sell.

• The property should be exposed to the market for a reasonable period of time.

A sale is not considered arms-length if there is some special situation that does not reflect market value.

Examples of sales not usually considered indicative of market value include sales involving any of the following circumstances:

• Family sales - Sales between family members, involving reduced or nominal prices.

• Foreclosure sales - Sales involving properties foreclosed by a bank or another lending institution where the creditors are trying to make the best of a bad bargain and willing to sell property at whatever they can get to mitigate their loss.

• Paper transactions - Transfers involving businesses reassigning assets for bookkeeping purposes.

• Donations - Sales to charitable, educational or religious organizations that involve or are tantamount to donations.

• Court ordered sales – Sales ordered by a court that are tantamount to no more than the buyout price between the former co-owners, e.g., a property settlement as part of a divorce.

Assessors can use a number of methods to determine if a sale involved any special circumstances. These methods include:

• Sales questionnaires – Questionnaires are sent to new property owners asking them for details about the sale and if any special circumstances were present.

• Property visits– A visit can be made to the property shortly after the sale to interview the new owner about any special circumstances and to inspect the property to determine its condition at the time of the sale.

• Interviews or phone calls - The seller can also be interviewed in person or by phone, as can any real estate agents, appraisers or other third parties who have some knowledge of the parties to the sale and the details surrounding it.

Assessors who spend eight hour shifts in their office watching kiddie porn don't have the time to get out and look at properties.

After verifying arms-length sales, assessors should create a sales database containing information about each sale property.

The database should include a photograph of each property depicting the physical condition of the property at the time of sale.

Also included as part of the database should be a set of property maps showing the location of all arms-length sales.

Sales maps are a valuable tool for identifying market trends within the municipality.

The maps should provide the following information:

• Locations of sale parcels.

• Sale prices.

• Sale dates.

• Property types, e.g., single family home, residential lot, etc.

Assessors must prepare tax maps that locate and provide essential land area information about every real property in their municipality.

In mass appraisal programs, tax maps are essential to the development and application of a land valuation schedule with accurate measures of market value, such as square
footage, front footage and site.

The maps must be updated annually to reflect changes in parcel configurations.

Tax maps establish a unique identification number for each parcel of real estate.

Most mapping systems identify the parcels by map-lot number or map-block-lot number.

Each map is numbered. If the maps also contain divisions, they are called blocks and are identified by a different number.

A unique number is then assigned to each parcel.

Tax maps must accurately delineate every parcel and display its land area, based on the legal description in the deed or other title document.

All roadways should be displayed and identified by name.
Maps that include the following information about each parcel enable assessors to more precisely analyze market influences:

Road frontages and property depth measurements on tax maps assist assessors determine conformity to zoning by-laws and development potential.

Assessing is not rocket science...

Assessing technology is common sense and basic record keeping...

More tomorrow...

Quiz on Tuesday

Comments

[Kallie Homeowners]

As a condominium owner, you share responsibility with others in your building for common property. http://realestate.blogtells.com/2008/06/30/real-estate-agent-homeowners-motivation-and-cooperation/

[Mr. Negative]

Joakim's alter ego writes about COG negativity on public issues;

Negativity is a double-edged sword. Negativity is a reaction to the lack of action.

I don't know how wealthy you are, but homeowner property taxes have increased exponentially in the last seven years, while commercial property taxes have dropped exponentially.

The Mobil Station on Old Stage Road paid $6,250 in property taxes in 2001, and $1,950 in 2008.

That's a $4,250 tax cut.

Homeowner taxes up...Mobile Oil (earnings of $100 billion in 2008) property taxes down 70%.

We've been talking about this for seven years with NO ACTION.

It's time for negativity, recalls, and maybe some lynchings.

[John Julius]

Will SOMEONE please grab the ARROGANT piece of garbage Osterville Councilor Jim Crocker AND the useless, clueless TOWN TAX ASSESSOR by their earlobes and make those morons READ THIS, THE LAW!

So Mr. ARROGANCE idiot jim Crocker.... Mr. BUGMOUTH KNOWITALL, after I left the other Mr. MORON, I understand that you made some comments.... ah, ah, ah, ah,,,,,

Jim Crocker is nothing but an ARROGANT BIGMOUTH MORON KNOWITALL! Sorry Jim but many in this town know your game.....

And Jim THINKS he is some real estate expets..... so Jim, with all due respect Mr. Arrogance, in your capacity as a TOWN COUNCILOR good friend, shouldn't YOU KNOW WHAT THE LAW IS ON ASSESSING?!

Jim, you have not much of a clue about anything! Nor does the town's useless CLUELESS TAX ASSESSOR!

Later today I will post dozens of OVERASSESSED homes in this filthy rotten corrupt town. In the meantime, I AM GOING OUT TODAY TO GET MORE SIGNATURES TO RECALL the idiot council president for her ABUSE of powe, among 'other things'....

Also, IF ANYONE in this town WANTS HELP TO GET YOUR TAXES REDUCED for YOUR OVERASSESSED HOME in Barnstable, I will help you, FOR FREE!!

Just call me ANYTIME, on my cell @ 508 568-8132.

I WILL HELP ANYONE WITH THEIR ABATEMENT! Just call me anytime. And tell the tax assessor to shove it, and the ARROGANT moron Jim Crocker too. These asswipes EXPECT the TAXPAYERS here to live within OUR means yet they can continue to RIP the taxpayers blind??!! These idiots have another thing coming!

Good day to all...

[Buckskin]

John Joakim is driving around the 6th Precinct with a giant Janet Joakim sign mounted to his car with an All American City flag waving in the back. He's smoking a big fat cigar, like he just won a prize - your tax dollars.

Of course Joakim has absolutely no knowledge of her husband's actions and is no way responsible for anything to do with them. It's just another missed opportunity for communication, much like her entire incompetent stint on the council.

[John Julius]

John Joakim is more STUPID than his wife.... The "All American GARBAGE is a joke! The town's schools are in a dreadful state. The town has one of the highest FORECLOSURE rates in the state. The fire district nonsense is a joke and RIPOFF to taxpayers. The TAXPAYERS are getting raped from all angles: The fire district nonsense, the GROSSLY OVERASSESSED homes, the FACT of NO split tax in town, the ripoff of SIX highly paid town attorney's while STILL WASTING MILLIONS MORE on outside law firms, and on and on and on.....

And John Joakim is THAT STUPID to be driving around with the ridiculous flags??!! Huh? Yes, this really DOES prove how STUPID these idiots really are.......

Janet, I was out today and had NO PROBLEM getting many signatures to RECALL you from town hall...... Janet, you might think you are the almighty powerful but all we need to do is TELL THE VOTERS THE TRUTH ABOUT you and bingo.......

Like I said Janet, your husband ought to be out spending his time finding you a GOOD COMPETENT LAWYER because after the man who was screwed by you gets done, you will need one... GOOD LUCK JANET!

[John Julius]

So Janet, ah, ah, ah, I mean Able... when you log in here today.... A couple people asked me today when they were signing your RECALL petition, "So, is this woman from your precinct?" And I answered, "No, she is not from MY precinct HOWEVER she IS SUPPOSED TO BE A TOWN COUNCILOR. I said a TOEN COUNCILOR which means that she IS SUPPOSED to REPRESENT ME and EVERYONE from OUR TOWN..... so I said, "I am helping in this RECALL effort because she made the VOTERS from OUR TOWN a promise that she BROKE.... as in LIED! See Janet, when YOU ran for office, you made the promise to us ALL that you would vote for a split tax rate and you lied. And since YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A TOWN councilor and since Janet LIED to ME and the other VOTERS in OUR TOWN, this is WHY I am doing my part....

So Janet, you WILL be recalled and trust US, Janet, you won't stand any chance of ever being re-elected. Oh Janet, you can try but good luck. When WE are finished, thousands of people will KNOW and REMEMBER you LIED! Thousands MORE will also know HOW you abused your power with the zoning Board fiasco....

So Janet, go ahead, have your husband WASTE hundreds in signs, his time and gas..... go ahead, waste it. We could care less. The bottom line for us ALL is:

WE ALL DESERVE BETTER!

Oh, and Janet here, ONE more little tidbit for you. I had this one woman and her husband sign today and GUESS WHO SHE IS? Try John Klimm's own cousin..... Now how about that?!

Eric is also now going back out and he too, did well. We are filling all the necessary spaces and Janet, THIS TIME this will be final! Good bye and good luck, especially on the lawsuit you are going to be involved in. You are going to need it. Good luck Able, ah, ah, ah, I mean Janet....

Bye bye.

its actually a joke to call any of these people town councilors. they are merely village folks jpoakim could care less what happens in barnstable and crocker could care less what happens in hyannis. tobey could care less what goes on in the mills and rick barry only cares about cotuit. this is what is all wrong plain as day

I just met two dozen folks from Centerville. Their concerns are no different from us in Hyannis. And, not one of them asked me what "village" I hailed from.

It's time to put this village fairy tale to bed.

[Piece is always possible.]

Hi Mr. Negativity!

The word from inside the Joakim camp is that it's difficult for you to collect petition signatures. Tough luck, considering the Thoman factor.

Nobody here cares if you threaten lynchings. Someone with rapier wit has been known to support the principles of castration for those who rape others of the lives, liberties, and pursuit of happiness. Maybe we should pay inordinate attention to Mr. Lopez post today.

All things considering, which would you rather have? When the political loop is tied to tightly, it's known to become a noose. I don't worry about real or idle threats and neither should you. If my interests are expendable, guess what dickhead, so are yours!

The objective is to remove Joakim by any and all means possible. My hat is off to Thoman having 20/20 foresight on calculation of political casualties and collateral damage. Maybe she should have peered into Thoman's mirror before talking tough. Mr. Negativity, by any chance, do you have a mirroron the ceiling above your kingsize bed?

Let me know what else you need, now! I'm taking Joakim out politically, for free. The rest of you are just dead bodies piling up at the city morgue.

[Thoman, Joakim, Bugsy are down on game and in that order!]

Did Website Wizard, Bugsy Schwaab teach Thoman how to use the tool bar or how to use the tool in the bar?

Inquiring minds want to know?

[All eyes on the high cost of public safety to the Barnstable taxpayer!]

So tell me more about the professional future of Paul Niedzwiecki! Wasn't it Mr. Paul who high tailed it outta town hall the same week Paul MacDonald was hired?

Kind of odd that a savvy guy would leak it out that he was applying for the honcho job at CCC as if his career were nothing more to him than a mere Joakim fart.

How's the District Attorney fairing these days? CCC is not the only corner office in the village.