Page 8 - The Shores of Jupiter - September '22
P. 8

Page 8, The Shores




                                                                                         Fifteen days prior   represents you, you must sign the petition or provide written
                                                                                       to the scheduled    authorization or power of attorney for your representative.
                                                                                       petition hearing,     During the hearing, a special magistrate hired by
                                                                                       you are required    the  VAB will ask you to present your evidence and
                                                                                       to  provide  a  list   testimony in support of your petition. In most cases, to
                                                                                       and summary of      win a reduction in appraised value before the VAB, you
                                                                                       evidence that you   must prove that the county’s appraisal of your property
      Dear Taxpayer:                                     will present at the hearing. You can submit your evidence   exceeded market value and explain why. A representative
        Happy autumn!                                    electronically through the Clerk of the Circuit Court &   from our office will then present evidence in support of
        By now, all property owners in Palm Beach County   Comptroller. Seven days before the VAB hearing, our   the property valuation, denied exemption, etc., depending
      have received their 2022 Notice of Proposed Property   office is required to provide you with a list and summary   on the issue. You will have another opportunity to
      Taxes and Assessments from my office. You can always   of evidence, which will be presented at the hearing.   comment before the end of the hearing.
      access  this  information  by  searching  your  property  at   The Hearing                             Keep in mind, although the decision of the magistrate
      PBCGOV.org/PAPA, and then selecting “2022 Proposed     At the VAB hearing, you may represent yourself or   is binding, the hearing itself is an informal process. The
      Notice” at the top of your Property Detail page.   seek assistance from a professional. Some examples of   VAB will mail you a written copy of its final decision.
        The Notice of Proposed Property Taxes is not a bill,   professional representation might include an attorney, a   Regardless of the outcome of your hearing, you must pay
      but rather an estimate of your taxes based on the proposed   licensed real estate appraiser or broker, or a certified public   all or the required portion of your taxes by April 1 to keep
      tax rates, your property value and exemptions.     accountant. If someone who is not a licensed professional   your petition valid and avoid additional cost and fees.
        The next stage in the tax roll process is the petition                                                                     After The Hearing
      filing period. Property owners have the option to appeal                                                                       The VAB must issue all
      their property’s assessment or denial of portability                                                                         final decisions within 20
      before the county’s Value Adjustment Board (VAB),                                                                            calendar days of the last day
      which is administered by the Clerk of the Circuit Court                                                                      it was in session. You may
      & Comptroller. Florida law sets the value petition filing                                                                    file a lawsuit in circuit court
      period, which begins when the notices are mailed and                                                                         if you do not agree with the
      ends 25 days later. This year’s deadline to file a petition                                                                  VAB’s decision.
      is Sept. 12.                                                                                                                   For more information
        This month’s newsletter examines the VAB process. I                                                                        about the  VAB in Palm
      hope you will find this information helpful.                                                                                 Beach County, email vab@
                                           Respectfully,                                                                           mypalmbeachclerk.com or
                               Dorothy Jacks, CFA, AAS,                                                                            call them at (561) 355-6289.
                    Palm Beach County Property Appraiser

      The Value Adjustment Board                          Town Of Jupiter News
      Process


        If you feel that the market value of your property is   By Malise Sundstrom,                         1. Each household in the town will receive a
      inaccurate or does not reflect fair market value as of Jan.   Jupiter Town Councilor                 64-gallon garbage cart that has a lid and is easy to roll
      1, or you are entitled to an exemption or classification that     Across south Florida,              out for automated waste collection. A larger 96-gallon
      is not reflected on the 2022 Notice of Proposed Property   local governments and their               cart may be requested, or an additional cart may be
      Taxes, contact our office for an informal review. Call us at   residents and businesses are          purchased if residents need more capacity. Once the
      (561) 355-3230 and we will connect you with an appraiser   having to contend with 40-                new cart is received, old containers may be used for
      or exemption specialist to discuss your concerns. If we   year inflation, supply chain               yard waste or recycled. Carts will be uniform in shape
      are unable to resolve the matter, you have the right to   impacts, labor shortages,                  and color, thereby improving the appearance of our
      file a petition for adjustment with the Value Adjustment   and more. At the Town of                  neighborhoods.
      Board (VAB).                                        Jupiter, we are seeing fewer                       2. Automated garbage trucks equipped with a lifting
        The VAB is administered by Palm Beach County’s    firms bidding on contracts,                      mechanism on the side will pick up new carts and empty
      Clerk of the  Circuit Court & Comptroller,  which is   and bids are often higher                     the contents into the truck. In Abacoa, a semi-automated
      independent of the Property Appraiser’s Office. The   (or the level of service is lower) than what was originally   service featuring smaller trucks using a hydraulic
      Board is made up of five individuals: two from the   estimated. Despite these challenges, the town is working   “tipper” will be used. This type of service stabilizes
      county’s board of commissioners, one from the county’s   hard to negotiate and secure the best possible rates and levels   costs and makes the collection service more efficient.
      school board, and two citizen members. They approve and   of service for residents.                    3. Waste must be placed in the provided garbage
      use special magistrates who are experienced in property     This is why my colleagues and I recently approved   carts in order to be picked up. Because the carts are
      appraisal techniques or legal matters to conduct hearings   the award of an eight-year franchise agreement to Waste   specially designed to work with the automated and
      and recommend decisions to the VAB for final approval.   Management. This contractor has served the town of Jupiter   semi-automated collection trucks, garbage set out in
      Special magistrates will review property valuation,   for decades, but the specter of a rate hike coupled with fewer   bags or in noncompliant bins will not be collected.
      denials of portability, deferrals, and change of ownership   pickups upon a five-year renewal led the town to put the     4. In the new agreement, Waste Management will
      or control determinations. All final rulings are determined   contract out for bid. Upon the completion of this public process   collect yard waste in excess of eight cubic yards on the
      by the VAB.                                         with three competitive bids, Waste Management won the   customer’s next scheduled collection day (not before);
      Filing A Petition                                   award with a rate nearly half that of the second lowest bidder   eight cubic yards at a time, until completely collected.
        Florida law sets the deadlines for filing a petition on   and with the same number of regular pickups each week.    5. Waste Management will assign a customer service
      or before the 25th day following the mailing of the notice     While the company and number of regular pickups will   representative to work at the town’s offices during the
      from our office. This year’s deadline is Sept. 12. These   remain the same, residents can expect a few big changes,   first month of collections. This service representative
      deadlines do not change, even if you choose to discuss   largely as a result of collections becoming an automated or   will assist in addressing any resident concerns.
      the issue with our office. The VAB may charge $15 or   semi-automated service. Here is what to expect before the     The town will be sending out information on the new
      more for filing a petition.                         new program begins on March 1, 2023:             service in the coming weeks.
        PDF petition forms are available on our website or
      online petition filing is available through the Clerk of
      the Circuit Court & Comptroller.
        Once a petition is filed, you will receive a notice with the
      date, time, and location of your hearing at least 25 days before   Peripheral
      your hearing date. You can reschedule your hearing once for
      good cause. If your hearing is rescheduled, the clerk will send   Neuropathy?
      notice at least 15 days before the rescheduled hearing.

                                                            FREE Consultation


                                                            for Acupuncture








                                                                                                                       561-745-1002



                                                                                                                         654 West Indiantown
                                                            THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO
                                                            REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER   Road, Jupiter, FL 33458
      Todd E. Wallace, CFE, RES, Commercial Appraiser III, at   SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT WHICH IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND
                                                            WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED
      a virtual VAB hearing in 2021. This year, VAB hearings will   OR REDUCED FEE SERVICES, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT.   www.drlaruffa.com
      be held both virtually and in-person.
   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12