Officials warn of claim to reduce property assessments, taxes

TOWN OF FISHKILL – A Long Island based company is misleading local residents on property assessments and charging a fee for securing what it says are reduced values, Fishkill Town Supervisor Robert LaColla warned Thursday. “This company is sending letters using residents’ 2010 assessments and purporting to fight for assessment that have already been reduced,” he said. A cut in assessment results in reduced property taxes. Several Fishkill town residents have received mailers from Assessment Correction Group of NY Inc., which state: “Our fees are simple – you pay us only when we succeed.” The letter says the fee is 60 percent of the first year savings plus appraiser’s fee of $100. Christian Harkins, the assessor for the towns of Fishkill and Wappinger said the letter is a “blatant attempt to mislead homeowners into contracting for the company’s services.” He said the letter also states a “possible new assessment,” but he said that claim is also “extremely misleading.” Harkins said the number is not produced from a “legitimate analysis” of a property’s value, but is just the 2010 assessed value reduced by 25 percent. “The letter makes it appear that the ‘possible new assessment’ is the actual market value of the property, which is not attainable.” www.midhudsonnews.com A good source for FREE local news, check them out.