Allegheny County ordered to reassess all properties
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Allegheny County will finally reassess over 585,000 properties and will now do so on a regular basis.
Why it matters: Pennsylvania’s second-largest county hasn’t completed a countywide reassessment since 2012, leading to flurries of large properties losing value, revenue for municipalities and school districts plummeting and local taxes increasing.
The latest: Common Pleas Judge Kenneth G. Valasek ruled Tuesday that Allegheny County must perform a property reassessment to replace the 2012 base values, and must start by 2027.
- It also must complete the reassessment by 2032, per the ruling.
What that means: All properties in the county will see new assessed values after the process is completed, which typically takes a few years.
- Countywide reassessments must be revenue-neutral, per state law, meaning that the county, local municipalities and school districts will not receive a financial windfall from the reassessment.
- It’s likely that Allegheny County’s property tax rate — currently at 6.43 mills — will change to comply with anti-windfall rules.
Stunning stat: Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that does not mandate its counties to perform regular property reassessments.
- Some counties go decades without reassessments. Butler County hasn’t reassessed since 1969.
Zoom in: Allegheny County agreed in principle to reassess every five years, according to the ruling.
- That’s not codified in legislation, but a bill in Allegheny County Council would require regular reassessments every three years.
- Council Member Bethany Hallam (D-North Side) told Axios the bill will move forward, but she is open to amending it to a five-year cycle to align with the court’s opinions.
Between the lines: Countywide property reassessments typically mean some owners will pay more, some less, and some the same. The change usually shifts some burden away from new property owners and lower-valued properties.
What they’re saying: Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said she would prefer state law to require all counties to regularly reassess, and the county had more ability to tax large nonprofits, but recognizes that the ruling and regular reassessments are a positive step forward.
- “Regular countywide reassessments will be an improvement over the current ad hoc approach. Property owners deserve transparency about how their property is valued, while school districts and municipalities deserve predictability as they plan their budgets.”
What’s next: County officials told Axios that a request-for-proposal will be sent out soon so a contractor can be acquired before 2027.