This hearing will provide a forum for the public, local officials and scholars to discuss the effectiveness of current real property assessment practices in producing fair and equitable assessments across New York State. It will also explore possible legislative changes to the real property tax system that could promote equity and continuity in the assessment process.

Persons invited to present testimony to the Committees at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be accepted by invitation only and is limited to ten minutes duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to the contact person listed on the reply form as early as possible. Twenty copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committees' interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Legislature, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Legislative facilities and activities.

---

1. In general, are assessments across New York State uniform and equitable? If not, what actions should New York State take to address this?

2. Should statewide assessment standards be adopted? If so, what should those standards include?

3. Are property owners affected when reassessments are not done regularly? What is the impact on property owners when their locality is not assessing at 100 percent of full value?

4. Are municipalities that are assessing at full value negatively affected by neighboring municipalities that are assessing at a different percentage of full value?

5. Are there instances where monies from state and federal programs are jeopardized due to lack of the continual reassessments of properties?

6. What is the impact of the increasing number of real property exemptions on localities and taxpayers?

7. Have other states imposed standards of assessments on their localities? What effect have these standards had?

---

Persons invited to present testimony at the public hearing on Real Property Assessments are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and e-mail, fax or mail it to: