CANADA
Saint John homeowner ‘shocked’ as property assessment skyrocket for many in N.B.

Globalnews.ca

When Saint John, N.B., homeowner Gregory Grondin opened his 2024 property assessment letter, he was taken aback, to say the least. He describes it as a bitter pill to swallow. “Along with a lot of other folks, I'm a bit shocked by it,” he said. Grondin lives on the lower west side of the city — a stone's throw from the Port of Saint John and the American Iron and Metal (AIM) scrap recycling facility.

E is for error: Telus bid to appeal property assessments foiled by email mishap

CBC News

A miscommunication involving an errant "e" could doom telecommunications giant Telus's bid to appeal more than a dozen property assessments. That's "e" as in email address. "E" as in error. Telus is heading to B.C. Supreme Court in the hopes of reversing the Property Assessment Appeal Board's refusal to let the company proceed with challenges to the tax status of 18 property assessments despite missing a crucial filing deadline.

NATIONAL
Trophy Office Space Is Hot. What Will It Take To Build More?

BisNow

New year-end data has shown high demand for top-quality space and shrinking vacancy in the trophy and Class-A segments across major U.S. markets like Miami, D.C., New York and Chicago. But experts in those cities tell Bisnow they anticipate the headwinds facing the overall office sector will continue to restrict new supply and make the market for trophy tenants even tighter.

COLORADO
Douglas County sues state board that blocked property tax relief

Colorado Sun

Douglas County is suing a state board that last month blocked the county's creative attempt to offer a $28 million property tax break to homeowners by making an across-the-board reduction in previously determined home values. The 15-page lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Denver District Court against the State Board of Equalization. It argues that the board didn't have the authority to block the tax break and that it didn't follow Colorado's open meetings laws in doing so.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Worthwhile Ideas for a Stronger and Fairer D.C. Tax Code

ITEP

In a package of 39 draft policy recommendations released this month, the District of Columbia's Tax Revision Commission laid out reforms that would improve the tax system and foster shared prosperity. The proceedings will culminate in a slate of proposals presented to public officials later this year. Before that, in the coming days and weeks the panel will review its draft proposals to finalize a consensus set of recommendations.

MARYLAND
New local taxes on commercial properties floated in Montgomery Co

wusa9.com

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich says new commercial taxation districts are needed to stay competitive with Northern Virginia's public infrastructure and transportation system growth. Elrich talked about his ideas Tuesday as he revealed the county's latest capital budget proposal. The $5.8 billion budget proposal includes billions in school renovations, transportation projects and items such as a new police station in Clarksburg, but a number of priorities have been trimmed back.

MISSOURI
Bill Eigel again targets Missouri personal property tax

STL Today

A state senator from St. Charles County faced familiar opposition Tuesday in his quest to cut the annual tax Missourians pay on their vehicles, boats and campers. State Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican who is running for governor, said during a Tuesday committee hearing the personal property tax was “hammering” Missourians. Under his legislation, “You won't have to pay rent to the government every Dec. 1 for the crime of owning a car.”

NEBRASKA
State senator says sales tax increase is necessary to lower property taxes by 40%

Nebraska Examiner

To lower property taxes, Nebraskans will need to pay more in sales taxes, a key state senator said Wednesday. State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan said a state sale tax increase of up to 1-cent — a tax hike that's a non-starter for some conservatives and progressives — is necessary if Gov. Jim Pillen is to achieve his goal of reducing property taxes by 40%. “I don't know how we're going to get there (otherwise),” Linehan said.

NEW MEXICO
Some New Mexicans can apply to 'freeze' their property value for tax purposes

KRQE

Bernalillo County is offering a program to let some New Mexicans freeze the value of their property in order to prevent their property taxes from increasing. “This is a great opportunity, for all county residents who quality, to get a break on their property taxes,” Bernalillo County Assessor Damian Lara said in a press release. “As the years go on, the Value Freeze Program can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in savings.”

WEST VIRGINIA
WV House panel approves coal property tax bill

wvgazettemail.com

A committee of West Virginia lawmakers have approved a bill expected to make tax income streams for county and local governments less certain. House Bill 4535 would change the state Tax Department's methodology for evaluating coal properties. The bill is a reintroduced version of bills from past legislative sessions — most recently HB 2169 in 2023 — and again sponsored by Delegate Vernon Criss, R-Wood, chair of the House Finance Committee.