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In Harwinton, the revaluation was conducted by the town's contracted tax assessor, Michelle McLaughlin, who worked with software used by the firm Vision Appraisal, which has the results from Harwinton posted on its online site, www.visionappraisal.com.
While the outcry witnessed in Torrington and Washington has not been seen in Harwinton, Mr. Pallokat's experience, and examples he and other cited, indicated a range of concerns about the revaluation.
Ms. McLaughlin did her research in 2008 for the statistical revaluation, and said she visited each property. Most of the work was done by the assessor's staff.
However, Ms. McLaughlin noted that she worked with a consultant from Vision Appraisal. Results were released in January, which triggers a process in which residents can challenge the assessments.
Overall, the value of real estate increased by 18.25 percent from the last revaluation, conducted five years ago. And Harwinton's grand list of all taxable property increased by 15.31 percent to a total of $554,616,979.
When Mr. Pallokat received the new value for his 3,361-square-foot barn, he was shocked to see that the appraised value-or market value-was $27 per square foot, compared to the previous value of $1.97 per square foot.
"I just didn't understand where we were getting the revaluation numbers from," said Mr. Pallokat.
Mr. Pallokat held an informal meeting Monday at his home to discuss his frustration with the revaluation. Resident Janet Burritt and First Selectman Frank Chiaramonte were also present.
He began researching the methodology employed by Vision Appraisal and its software, which has conducted revaluations throughout Connecticut.
"[Ms. McLaughlin] said, 'Well, we looked at your barn, and we think that $90,000 is fair, because that is what it would cost you to replace it,'" he said.
After Mr. Pallokat went to the municipal offices and complained, the assessor lowered the appraised value from $90,000 to $60,000, at a total of $18 a square-foot.
The total appraised value for Mr. Pallokat's property was initially set at $434,730. Assessed values, or the figure that property taxes are based upon, represent 70 percent of assessed value. In Mr. Pallokat's case, the original new assessed value was $295,340 for the entire property and $63,540 for the barn.
"The barn is old. I have not done anything to it," said Mr. Pallokat.
In his research concerning other barns in town, Mr. Pallokat found discrepancies. "I'm finding things that are supposed to be done by the assessor that are not being done," he said.
According to Ms. McLaughlin, she followed the state statutes and state performance standards that were required for revaluations. She visited every property in town.
"The key thing is the bottom line of your property" and how it fits into a larger model that takes into account 3,300 properties," Ms. McLaughlin said.
Residents received a standard letter announcing the results of the revaluation, and in addition they received a letter saying they can visit the Vision Appraisal Web site to view the information for their property.
Ms. McLaughlin then met with residents informally after they received their letter for any questions or concerns.
"We are relying on her expertise to do this," said Mr. Chiaramonte of Ms. McLaughlin and the revaluation.
Mr. Chiaramonte explained that the assessment is based on certain criteria being put into a system using specialized software. The system gives an approximation of what the assessed value of the property should be.
Mr. Pallokat said the assessor showed him a printed document based on the software that demonstrated there are 22 variables to select from in order to get to a basic valuation for a barn.
In order to present his case to the Board of Assessment Appeals, Mr. Pallokat took digital photographs of his barn and three neighboring barns.
"Where is the proportional equity? I see proportional inequity with the way this was done," said Mr. Pallokat.
Some of the discrepancies reported after the results of the Harwinton revaluation were released include sheds listed for properties where there are none, and fireplaces added to homes that have none.
"It's a revaluation. There is always someone who is dissatisfied. With the economic conditions, it made it a little harder on the taxpayers," said Ms. McLaughlin.
"We're not here as adversaries, we are here for the people of Harwinton," said Mr. Pallokat. "I want equal treatment."
Ms. McLaughlin said that residents may not have received a street card outlining the details of their property directly, but they were able to come into the assessor's office a get a printed version of their street card.
Mr. Chiaramonte said other towns go through the same issues with revaluations and everybody makes mistakes.
"I don't think any assessor would intentionally do something that would be harmful to the taxpayers," said Mr. Chiaramonte. Mr. Chiaramonte said the town felt confident Ms. McLaughlin could do the revaluation, and having an independent person do the revaluation has saved the town money. Ms. McLaughlin had also handled the revaluation process in Morris.
According to Mr. Chiaramonte, the number of residents seeking appeals in Harwinton had been modest compared to other towns in the area.
Ms. McLaughlin said that out of 3,300 residents, there were about 80 to 100 appeals in Harwinton, which she explained, is a really small number.
"It's the fact that people are dissatisfied, and they don't know how to go about correcting [the mistakes]" said Mrs. Burritt.
Mrs. Burritt said her concerns with the revaluation occurred when she received her assessment and it said her home had drywall sheetrock instead of plaster walls installed in 1955.
"There has to be a standard, and I don't know where the standard is," said Mr. Pallokat.
"Every time I have asked her a question, when somebody has asked me something ... she always has a good explanation," said Mr. Chiaramonte of Ms. McLaughlin.
A presentation for residents will be done by the assessor at the next Board of Selectmen's meeting, schedule for 7 p.m. on April 29 at town hall.
