[tummyman]

As I read the posts, this is a "charged" topic full of emotion. So lets all try and take the emotion out of the discussion. We all live here, one way or another. Some can vote and others cannot.....that is the way it is currently. However, the process, in my opinion, is flawed. The process starts with Vision mailing out new assessments. Then, if you are unhappy, you can make an appointment to meet with Vision. However, they make no changes unless their cards are in need of update/correction, such as you have fewer bedrooms, or have an unfinished crawl space and they have you listed as having a full basement. The only discussion about flaws in the process must wait until the December tax bills are mailed and then you file for an abatement, along with collecting all sorts of data, including hiring an independent appraiser to represent you. More money out the window. In our situation, we fundamentally think that one property sale skewed the results very dramatically and that Vision did not adequately appraise and subsequently allocate changes to the building vs. land values. We asked them to re-look, but they just said that they have standards to follow. Changes in values that whip 17% up one year and then get reduced 15% the next when there is another property sale make no sense. The town, whether it is the Select Board or others, should be looking at whether wild swings are abnormal occurrences or realistic changes in the market and then try and minimize the ranges of changes, unless they have many data points to collaborate the results. Any change of greater than +/- 5% in this market needs further evaluation.... Same will be true for those who saw large reductions in assessments this time around, as they will not be as happy when there are new sales and the assessments go right back up in their neighborhoods. And lets not offend people with childish suggestions that if they don't like it, move.