Parma receives assessment aid from state

The Town of Parma recently received $29,435 in state aid for quality assessment practices. That money will help the town to fund an annual assessment program.

Rick Lemcke, Parma supervisor, said the town’s goal is to maintain 100 percent assessment. According to Kathy Muller and Don Wells in the Town Assessor’s Office, there are two main reasons to strive for full assessment: full assessment is a good way to maintain equality among all residents and avoid over-taxing any property owners; and yearly assessments provide residents with a true sense of their property value.

Previously, assessments were not conducted on an annual basis. Parma’s last assessment was in 1998. New York state’s annual reassessment program requires that municipalities update their assessment at market value, each year.

Thomas Griffen, New York State Office of Real Property Services director, said Parma was one of about 200 communities to receive aid for their efforts. "I commend Assessor Kathy Muller, Supervisor Richard Lemcke and the town board for their efforts to provide their taxpayers with fair assessment. Keeping the assessments up-to-date each year is not always easy, but it is the best way to ensure that no taxpayer pays more than his or her fair share."

Muller said residents lodged a lot less complaints (as a result of increases) during the most recent assessment as compared to the assessment in 1998. She anticipates that moving to an annual assessment will continue that trend.

More information on the annual reassessment program is available by calling the assessor’s office at 392-9455 or online at www.orps.state.ny.us.