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Minnesota Real Estate Attorneys: Real Property Tax Appeals and Special Assessments
For a variety of reasons, most municipalities in Minnesota are over-dependent upon property taxes as a
source of revenue to fund town/city budgets and education budgets. Residential property values appreciated at
a very high rate between 2002-2006. Commercial and industrial property
values also appreciated at a healthy rate during that period.
As a result, taxpayers have been examining the value they receive for their
taxes and, more often than not, the affordability of their investment in light
of recent tax increases. We have extensive experience prosecuting and
defending property valuation cases and handling property tax appeals for
residential, commercial and industrial properties of all shapes, sizes and
locations.
We assist property owners in towns that we do not represent in evaluating
their tax assessments, correcting any errors, appearing before boards of
assessment appeals, obtaining an appraisal, attempting to amicably resolve
excessive assessments and, if the foregoing do not achieve the client's
goals and needs, pursuing an appeal.
For numerous towns, we provide tax appeal defense in cases challenging
both real property and personal property assessments.
At Jensen Sondrall & Persellin, P.A., we represent property owners in property tax appeals in
towns and cities that are not clients of the firm. Because of our extensive experience
in administrative and real estate law, we are well-positioned to represent property
owners who believe their property has been overvalued. If you wish to challenge your
property tax assessment, please contact our law firm today.
Special Assessments
A special assessment is a government tax charged against private property
and collected with real estate taxes. Cities typically use special assessment
charges against private property to pay for public improvements like road
construction, installation of sewer lines water mains and sidewalks.
However, other government entities like a County or even the State can
charge a special assessment against your property. By state law, the
government's special assessment charges are legal only if the government
can prove its public improvement specially benefits your property more
than other property in the city or county where you live. The government
must also prove the fair market value of your property increased more than
the amount it charged against your property resulting directly from the
improvement the government claims specially benefited your property.
These special assessments can cost you tens of thousands of dollars or
more.
The attorneys at Jensen Sondrall & Persellin, P.A. are experienced in
governmental and municipal law and can help you legally challenge these
assessments. We will make sure you don't pay the government more than
it can legally and permissible charge you. The laws relating to special
assessments are complicated and you must act quickly to guarantee your
rights are protected. If you receive a mailed notice from the government
indicating it intends to charge your property with a special assessment,
immediately call one of our attorneys for a free ½ hour consultation about
your rights and ability to challenge these fees.
Representing Municipalities
We have successfully represented several municipalities in connection
with the defense of personal property and real property (commercial,
industrial and residential). We utilize experienced appraisers who are well
recognized for their expertise and credibility by the courts they testify as
experts in. Our attorneys make a point of not simply relying upon expert
opinion but also conducting our own due diligence with regard to the
subject property, neighborhood and comparable properties. We understand
the dynamics of municipal-taxpayer relations and the importance of
balancing grand list stability and predictability with equitable tax
assessing.
If you believe your property has been overvalued or if you need an
experienced advocate to defend your town or city's real and/or personal
property assessments, you can rely on the attorneys of Jensen Sondrall & Persellin, P.A.
We are a client-focused, results-oriented law firm that
provides practical, cost-effective legal solutions to complex legal
problems. Please contact our law firm if you have questions about your
current or past property taxes.
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