A letter received by many county property owners has an incorrect date to schedule an informal review of a property owner’s new property assessment.

Letters indicate an informal review has to be scheduled by today. That date is incorrect – an informal review can be scheduled up to May 31, according to a news release received Wednesday from the county. All property records can be reviewed online at https://gis.vgsi.com/warrencountyrevalpa. Those who agree with the information do not need to schedule the informal review.

All property owners will receive a letter from the county outlining the next phase of the property reassessment process, including a property’s new preliminary new market value and how to schedule an informal review. Residential property owners should receive their letters by the middle of May. Commercial letters should be received by the end of May.

The informal review allows property owners to question some parts of the preliminary assessment, including if staff assessed a property correctly, if a property is accurately described (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, etc.), if garages and outbuildings are correctly captured and if there are neighboring blighted properties that could decrease a property’s assessment.

Chief Assessor Brian Bull said that there has been “very little feedback up to this point,” according to the county’s release.

“Every property was visited to collect the information,” Bull explained.

Bull said there could be issues with a property that “might not have been brought to the forefront” that can impact valuations. He encouraged anyone participating in an informal review to bring photos to outline the issue they seek to present. All property records can be reviewed online at https://gis.vgsi.com/warrencountyrevalpa. Those who agree with the information do not need to schedule the informal review.

A “preliminary new market value” is also included in the letter that has caused considerable concern about future tax rates in future years.

“I’m sure it’s a shock,” Commissioner Ken Klakamp said. “It would be to anybody. But I ask that they be patient and we’ll get through it.”

In short, tax bills will not increase by the same percentage as the market value increased.

The informal reviews are not the forum to contest that number. There will be a formal appeals process later this summer on that issue.

“Technically we can’t even talk to them about this number by state law,” Bull said. “All we can talk about is the property characteristics to make sure that information is correct.”

The appeal notices for new market values will be disseminated starting July 1.

“That’s when we can talk numbers when they get their formal notice in the beginning of July,” Bull said.

Reassessment must be revenue neutral. That means that as values rise – as they naturally have since 1989 – millage rates will have to be significantly reduced for 2026 to ensure that neutral level.

Bull cited data from Tioga County from a reassessment that took effect in 2024 that found that 49 percent of taxpayers saw a decrease and 51 percent saw an increase. However, 41 percent of the total saw their tax bill change by less than $150 in either direction.

“We were told it probably would work out a third will be raised, a third will stay the same and a third will decline,” Klakamp said. “Then it puts everybody on the same playing field.”

A full FAQ can be found on the front page of the county’s website, warrencountypa.gov, and on the county Facebook page.