Board of Aldermen 1-28-2020 Page 10
Also, there should be some policy in place whereby data changes being made to cards, data changes that
are significant that are going to move a property 25%, $100,000.00, should be going before the Board. We
are not talking about a % bath is really a % and the assessment changed $2,000.00. We are talking about
a $400,000.00 home coming down to $300,000.00; that’s a massive adjustment. There should be a paper
trail that’s clear as can be to describe what went on with those properties and there isn’t. | am frustrated
that | am back in the situation | was 16 months ago with an assessor who keeps saying, “I don’t know, | will
have to do research, I'll get back to you”. It was the same assessor that treated my property that way and |
never got answers and | know | am never going to get answers again on this one. The DRA asked me to
put in a PA71, | have just completed it, | am filing it up there because | am frustrated. | really think we need
to get some policies in place with our Board of Assessors, where they are doing more oversight than what |
see going on down there.
We have some gaps in our Assessing Office right now. And | am absolutely not in agreement with some of
the assessors down there and the skill level they are showing for the work they do. Very concerned. And
when | stumble on this and | see this again, my concerns remained heightened. So | hope that some of
you will join me in encouraging the Board of Assessors to get on board with some policy to create better
oversights for all of us. It upsets me when | hear the Mayor talking about the budget issues and the pending
tax implications for what we have going on because | feel that this administration doesn’t give a darn about
the equity of these assessments.
We have some assessors in there that are slashing numbers that make absolutely no sense and we let that
happen. We burden those that are over-taxed with carrying the burden and then we complain that the tax
rate is going to go up. You know I’ve not been an advocate of opening your door for this list and measure.
It is for reasons like this, | will not tell anyone they should open their door for a list and measure. The only
people who should open their door are people who have blighted properties or who haven’t done upgrades
in 25 years. If you do not have that property situation, keep your door closed and force the assessment
from the street because it is the only way there is going to be equity. Because with a small pool that opened
their door, the 15%, | was the person who opened my door and | got royally screwed and | am trying to get
out of it now. | could not possibly tell anyone else in this City to open your door and do what | did. Close
your door, let them work from the street for all of us. Thank you.
REMARKS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Alderman Klee
It is a sensitive issue but when | read the article in the paper, in the Telegraph on Sunday, | was pleased to
hear that our Assessing Department was basically told that the accusations that had been made were
unfounded. And | was glad to hear that. | am sorry that there are people that disagree, but | can tell you
that I’ve been getting phone calls. People that were happy that this City has been vindicated; yes people
aren’t happy from what the Mayor has spoken about, possible taxes going up and so on. But think that
people are willing to listen and to make sure that we are held accountable and that we do what we have to
do.
| disagree with not opening up your door. | think if everybody opened up their door, then there would be
some real equity. So | would like to counteract that comment of “don’t open your door’ and | would strongly
suggest that people open their door and let’s make this as transparent as the people in the City want it to
be. Thank you.
Alderman Clemons
| believe this will be the last Full Board Meeting before the upcoming Primary and | want to remind people
to go out and do your civic duty and vote. As the Mayor mentioned earlier in the meeting, you can register
to vote at City Hall up until tomorrow and then after you can register at the polls on Election Day, just bring
your ID. | hope to see everybody there and hopefully we have a great turnout as always.
