Governor Vetoes Revaluation Postponements

Farmington, New Britain, Norwich, Stamford and Windham pushed legislation through the Connecticut General Assembly which would have allowed them to postpone their scheduled 2012 revaluations until 2013.  (They last revalued in 2007.)  In past years, this type of special pleading was routinely approved by the General Assembly and signed by the sitting governor.

In a change of course, Governor Dannel P. Malloy vetoed the legislation on June 6.  In doing so, he stated “that delaying regularly scheduled revaluations for just these communities, and not for other communities that are similarly situated, is unfair . . . .”  Noting that the purpose of a revaluation is to make sure that all properties, “whether . . . residential, commercial or industrial” are fairly and equitably valued, the governor stated that “[d]elaying revaluations on regularly scheduled intervals may distort this system by continuing to use outdated and inaccurate property values in the calculation” of tax bills.

The governor recalled that “in 2001, the General Assembly voted to take over the finances of the city of Waterbury, at least in part because it had not conducted a revaluation in over 20 years.  Waterbury’s experience demonstrates that prolonging the revaluation period only exacerbates fiscal problems and delays..."

Property owners in these communities should take note of the 2012 deadlines.  Please feel free to contact any of our attorneys in the Property Valuation Department listed above for additional information.