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There was good news and bad news for Incline's local property tax revolt group Monday following a state Board of Equalization hearing at the Nevada Legislature.
The state board of equalization agreed with Incline tax revolters that the county assessor had not complied with regulations.
The bad news, however, was that the state board overturned the county BOE's decision and will allow the assessor's office to increase property taxes by 8 percent if the 3 percent property tax cap recently passed in the legislature is reversed.
The 8 percent factor would have reduced property taxes for the 1,200 North Shore residents who appealed their property tax assessments, Barta said.
"We're very disappointed with the process," he said. "We feel tax officials on the state level and the county level are corrupt and dishonest."
Greg Zunino of the state department of taxation in the attorney general's office said the case needed to be heard instead by the state tax commission, which had approved the factor and the processes that determined it.
"I think the state BOE took their time and gave due consideration to all arguments. They tried to be conscientious," he said. "They ultimately based their decision on something that had been developed by the Nevada Tax Commission."
Peter Simeoni, attorney for the county BOE, said he advised the county board and had no role in the hearing process.
"I didn't believe that in the statute there is authorization for the county board of equalization to make the decision (to take away the 8 percent factor)."
"Mr. Simeoni doesn't even know who he represents," Barta said. "And he should learn about due process."
The assessor establishes the factor and the state commission approves it, but the commission makes its decision in October and tax payers don't get their assessments until November. At that point, they have no recourse but to appeal at the county level, Barta said.
League members asked Steve Johnson, member of the state BOE, to recuse himself from Monday's hearing because of his company's contract with Washoe County. Johnson-Perkins & Associates, Inc. does appraisals for the county, and Village League members saw his input as a conflict of interest, according to Barta.
"Johnson single-handedly decided to reverse the 8 percent factor," he said.
For Village League members, the county board's decision was made in light of its findings that the Washoe County Assessor had acted improperly, not observing the statutes.
The language is clear and strong in the statutes, Barta said. Both mandate that the assessor should comply with Nevada Tax Commission regulations.
"We have worked so hard to get these regulations, and what the state says in overturning this is that the assessor doesn't have to follow them," Barta said.
By dismissing the regulations, the officials deprive citizens of due process, he said.
"We are still optimistic that reason and justice will prevail," he said. "We will nail them."
The state board of equalization agreed with Incline tax revolters that the county assessor had not complied with regulations.
The bad news, however, was that the state board overturned the county BOE's decision and will allow the assessor's office to increase property taxes by 8 percent if the 3 percent property tax cap recently passed in the legislature is reversed.
The 8 percent factor would have reduced property taxes for the 1,200 North Shore residents who appealed their property tax assessments, Barta said.
"We're very disappointed with the process," he said. "We feel tax officials on the state level and the county level are corrupt and dishonest."
Greg Zunino of the state department of taxation in the attorney general's office said the case needed to be heard instead by the state tax commission, which had approved the factor and the processes that determined it.
"I think the state BOE took their time and gave due consideration to all arguments. They tried to be conscientious," he said. "They ultimately based their decision on something that had been developed by the Nevada Tax Commission."
Peter Simeoni, attorney for the county BOE, said he advised the county board and had no role in the hearing process.
"I didn't believe that in the statute there is authorization for the county board of equalization to make the decision (to take away the 8 percent factor)."
"Mr. Simeoni doesn't even know who he represents," Barta said. "And he should learn about due process."
The assessor establishes the factor and the state commission approves it, but the commission makes its decision in October and tax payers don't get their assessments until November. At that point, they have no recourse but to appeal at the county level, Barta said.
League members asked Steve Johnson, member of the state BOE, to recuse himself from Monday's hearing because of his company's contract with Washoe County. Johnson-Perkins & Associates, Inc. does appraisals for the county, and Village League members saw his input as a conflict of interest, according to Barta.
"Johnson single-handedly decided to reverse the 8 percent factor," he said.
For Village League members, the county board's decision was made in light of its findings that the Washoe County Assessor had acted improperly, not observing the statutes.
The language is clear and strong in the statutes, Barta said. Both mandate that the assessor should comply with Nevada Tax Commission regulations.
"We have worked so hard to get these regulations, and what the state says in overturning this is that the assessor doesn't have to follow them," Barta said.
By dismissing the regulations, the officials deprive citizens of due process, he said.
"We are still optimistic that reason and justice will prevail," he said. "We will nail them."
