Assessments

 The Town of Bashaw delegates an Assessor annually to prepare assessments. The Assessor ensures that the assessment complies with the Standard of Assessment Regulation set out in the Municipal Government Act. Property taxes are based on the assessed value of the property.

An Assessment Roll is prepared annually and is available for inspection both here and at the Town of Bashaw Municipal Office.

2010 Assessment Roll

WHAT IS AN ASSESSMENT?

The property taxes citizens pay is calculated in proportion to the value of the real estate property they own. Determining the value of a property for taxation purposes is known as assessment.

Assessment is a tool to equitably distribute the tax burden throughout a municipality. The value of the assessment affects the tax amount that will be charged to the owner of the property.

WHAT IS MARKET VALUE?

Market Value is, as of a given date, the most probable sale price of a property in a competitive and open market.

Economic conditions within the local real estate market influence the selling price of property. To ensure fairness, all assessments are based on the market value of the property as of July 1 of the previous year, and on the physical condition of the property as of December 31 of the previous year.

HOW IS THE ASSESSMENT DETERMINED?

Professional assessors evaluate properties based on a number of variables including age, lot and building size, building features and finishes, construction quality and property location. Assessors consider many of the same factors that a real estate professional would use when determining the value of a property.

Assessed values are established from property sales, as well as development & construction costs.

To ensure proper valuation practices are followed, every year, provincial auditors review assessments prepared by the Town of Bashaw.

The property taxes citizens pay is calculated in proportion to the value of the real estate property they own. Assessed values are a means of fairly distributing the tax burden and ensuring that each property owner pays a fair level of tax in relation to their neighbour.

• the taxation year runs from January to December each year
• the annual Tax/Assessment notice is mailed at the end of May and due at the end of July
• if you choose to appeal your assessment, you must complete the Assessment Review Board Complaint form and deliver to the Town of Bashaw with applicable fees within the appeal period

YOUR ASSESSMENT NOTICE

 Property taxes are based on the assessed value of property. The assessment notice will show the following information:
• Civic and legal address: the location of the assessed property
• Assessment Class: residential, non-residential, machinery & equipment, vacant land, farmland
• Name & mailing address: of the assessed person(s)
• Assessed value: the value of your property for tax purposes
• Date sent
• Assessment Appeal due date - 60 days from date of mailing notices

ASSESSMENT APPEALS

The Government of Alberta has introduced a single system of assessment complaints for the entire province starting in 2010.  This means the 2010 complaint process has changed as a result of amendments to the Municipal Government Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. M-26

There is now a 60 day time period between the mailing of your tax/assessment notice and the date complaints are due.  Use this time to speak to your assessor.  Assessors are able to make changes to your assessment before you file a complaint.

Even if you choose to appeal your assessment, you must still pay your taxes before the deadline to avoid being charged late payment penalties.  If the Assessment Review Board alters your assessment, the Town will adjust your tax account.

An assessment appeal is not an appeal for lower taxes. Section 460 of the Municipal Government Act states that an appeal may only be against any of the information contained on the assessment notice. The board is prohibited by statute from hearing appeals against taxation.

You are entitled to appeal your assessment and explain why you think the information shown on your assessment is incorrect, unfair or inequitable. If you wish to appeal your assessment please fill out the following form on line, print form and ensure that it, along with the applicable appeal fees are received by the Assistant Clerk of the Assessment Review Board of the Town of Bashaw within the 60 day appeal period.  If you choose to hire an agent to represent you in your appeal, an Assessment Complaint Agent Authorization form must also be completed and submitted with your Complaint form

Assessment Review Board Complaint Form

Assessment Appeal Fees

ASSESSMENT REVIEW BOARD

The purpose of the assessment review board is to ensure that there has been a correct, fair and equitable assessment.