Homeowners have less than a month to file tax assessment appeals with the Adams County Tax Services Department.
The deadline for filing appeals is no later than Monday, August 1 at 4:30 p.m., officials said.
County assessment appeals can be submitted in person, at the Tax Services drop box outside the courthouse, by email at [email protected] or by fax at 717-337-5767.
The primary source of revenue for counties, municipalities, and school districts is statewide property taxes.
“All Adams County property owners, or others with an interest in such real estate, have the right to file a property tax appeal in writing from any real estate appraisal no later than closing offices on Monday, August 1, 2022,” Adams County,” said Sue Miller, Chief Tax Services Assessor, at the commissioners’ meeting last week.
With any tax appeal, Adams County Tax Services Director Daryl Crum said owners have the burden of proof “to show an alternative value on which to base the tax assessment.”
“The strongest method of arguing this case would be to have the property appraised for the purpose of determining market value,” according to the county’s website.
For owners who don’t want to go through a formal evaluation process, they can still present their case to the Adams County Board of Appeals by sharing their research, the website says.
All cases heard by the appeal board will be notified of the decision by mail by Nov. 15, according to the county’s website.
“If after receiving their Notice of Decision, if a property owner is aggrieved by the council’s decision, they may file with the Adams County Common Pleas Court within 30 days of this Notice of Decision,” according to Crum.
The average for the past five years has been recorded at 174 calls, Crum said, noting that each year the amount has dropped by 23%.
In 2021, county officials saw 84 calls — “a steady annual decrease from a total of 260 calls heard in 2017,” according to Crum.
Property tax rolls were up 1.6% from a year ago due to “continuation of new construction and home improvement projects exceeding tax appeal results”, in plus new exemptions and new listing effects with the Clean and Green program, Crum said.
Clean and Green, first enacted in 1974, was intended to help farm landowners not be forced to stop using farmland or have to sell off some of their land due to high taxes. Some landowners are assessed at a lower rate than adjacent non-program lands.
At the June 29 meeting, Adams County commissioners approved tax rolls, effective July 1, at $9.8 billion, including 44,904 taxable parcels.
The county has $1.2 billion in exempt assessment for 1,949 exempt parcels.
The public can view assessment rolls at the Adams County Courthouse, Room 202, 117 Baltimore St., during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Commissioners also approved a quote from the AG Mauro Company of Lewisberry to purchase and install locks for the waiting room doors at the Adams County Sheriff’s Office for $4,925. The cost is charged from the Pennsylvania Counties Risk Pool (PCoRP) Loss Prevention Grant.
In addition, commissioners unanimously approved two construction and maintenance projects at the Cumberland Township Social Services Building.
Commissioner’s Chair Randy Phiel signed a quote from GDS Controls Inc. of Mechanicsburg to perform preventative maintenance on the Social Services Building’s fire pump at a cost of $1,050.
The commissioners ratified Phiel’s signature on a proposal by Overhead Door Company of Harrisburg-York to repair the overhead ramp doors of the Social Services Building for $1,723.
