Tioga County, New York

• How The Property Tax Works
• Assessments Vs. Taxes
• Property Tax Myths & Misunderstandings

• Valuing and Assessing Real Property
• Taxpayers Rights and Information
• Forms, Publications and Procedures

• Information on the Tax Assessment Appeal Process

• Tax Policy and Exemption Information

At its simplest, an equalization rate is the State’s measure of a municipality’s level of assessment (LOA). This is the ratio of total assessed value (AV) to the municipality’s total market value (MV). The municipality determines the AV; the MV is estimated by the state. The equalization rate formula is:

Total Assessed Value (AV)
______________________ = Equalization Rate

Total Market Value (MV)

Equalization rates do not indicate the degree of uniformity among assessments within a municipality (More information regarding uniformity is available from Fair Assessments - A Guide for Property Owners).

• An equalization rate of 100 means that the municipality is assessing property at 100 percent of market value
• An equalization rate of less than 100 means that the municipality’s total market value is greater than its assessed value.
• An equalization rate of greater than 100 means that the total assessed value for the municipality is greater than its total market value.
• There would be no need for equalization if all municipalities assessed all property at 100 percent of market value every year.

For more information on the equalization rate please link to the following Equalization and Tax Levy Distribution. To find your current equalization rate click here and select the prior year.

RAR Information Page

RPTL Article 7, Title 1 - A, Section 738 mandates the calculation of Residential Assessment Ratios annually. RARs are used by Assessors as a general measure of assessment equity and by taxpayers in board of assessment review grievances and/or small claims hearings. RARs are NOT issued for: municipalities currently conducting revaluation projects; or who have fewer than 5 residential usable sales that year. The RAR is certified by the State Board no later than sixty days prior to the last day provided by law for the filing of the tentative assessment roll. The certified RAR and the number of sales used in its calculation are sent to the Office of Court Administration and to the appropriate County Director, County Clerk and Assessor. When an RAR is established for New York City, it is certified to the New York City Tax Commission. In all cases, an informational copy is forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer of the assessing unit.

To view the RAR for your municipality click here and choose the prior year.

The Level of Assessment (LOA) is simply the percentage of full value at which properties are assessed within a community. For instance, an LOA of 50% would indicate that assessments are at half of the market value; an LOA of 100% represents a community that is assessing at full value. In most states, assessments are required to be recorded at a single LOA, most commonly 100%. However, in New York State, each municipality is allowed to choose its LOA. In New York, no matter what LOA the municipality uses, all of the assessments in the community are required by law to be at a “uniform percentage of value.” In other words, if a town chooses to assess at 40% of market value, then all of the properties in the town should be assessed at 40%. (Only New York City and Nassau County are authorized by State Law to assess each of four specific classes of property at different levels.)

To view the LOA for your municipality click here.

The school tax rates should be calculated against the new years assessed values (without exemptions) or taxable values (with exemptions); Actual tax amounts can be calculated by dividing the taxable assessed value by 1,000 then multiplying that by each individual tax rate. Use the Same method to calculate tax without exemptions by using the assessed value instead of the taxable.

The Town of County tax rates should be calculated against the new years assessed or taxable assessed values; Actual tax amounts can be calculated by dividing the taxable assessed value by 1,000, then multiplying that by each individual tax rate.

If you need assistance, you may phone your Assessor’s office or the Tioga County Real Property Office.