Tax Assessment Letters Will Be Mailed Next Week

Maplewood property owners can expect to find new property assessments in their mailboxes soon.

Appraisal Systems, Inc., which conducted the township's recent property reassessment, will mail the letters containing new assessments the week of Dec. 10, said Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca at Tuesday night's Township Committee meeting.

The letter will explain the township will use the proposed 2013 assessments to determine new, 2013 real estate taxes. Property owners cannot apply the 2012 tax rate to the new assessed value to determine 2013 taxes because the 2013 tax rate will change based on the results of the reassessment.

Once they receive the letter, property owners may request a informal meeting with representatives to discuss the new values. 

Meetings will take place through Dec. 30 (not including Sundays or Dec. 24 and Dec. 25), said Maplewood Township Administrator Joseph Manning.

The letter says a meeting "may result in an increase, decrease, or no change..." to the new value and that no decisions will be made at the meeting.

Once the township files the new assessments with the county by Jan. 10, 2013, property owners have until May 1 to file a formal appeal with the county. The new tax rate will be determined in the summer of 2013.

The reassessment process was discussed in detail at an October public meeting.