Showdown Looming Over Allegheny Co. Reassessment
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - There is a showdown brewing over Allegheny County's court-ordered reassessments and the winner will determine how much you will pay in property taxes.
Before the end of the year, new assessment notices should begin appearing in mailboxes. But, County Executive-Elect Rich Fitzgerald will try to render them meaningless.
Fitzgerald wants to stop the reassessment ordered by Common Pleas Judge R. Stanton Wettick.
When he takes office on Jan. 3, Fitzgerald said he will order that the new property values not be certified and the old ones remain in effect which would keep your taxes the same.
KDKA's Andy Sheehan: Won't you be in contempt of court?
Firzgerald: I guess that's up to the judge or the courts to decide that, but I was elected and County Council was elected to put forth policy to do what we said we would do don't reassess.
Today in court, Wettick held the county's feet to the fire by demanding that at least for the city of Pittsburgh, the new values be certified before the end of the year. The current administration said it will comply.
"We will follow the court order," Allegheny County Manager Jim Flynn said.
It remains to be seen if the county can comply before Fitzgerald is sworn in, but representatives of the city school district say Fitzgerald can't stop them from sending out new tax bills based on the reassessment.
"I think that train has left the station," Max Junker said.
At least for the city, it appears that Executive-Elect Fitzgerald is going to be a few days late, leaving at least some city taxpayers a few dollars short.
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