A multi-billion dollar claim has been filed against the State of California, the California Board of Equalization, and the State’s fifty-eight County Tax Collectors. On Tuesday’s Amador County Board of Supervisor’s Consent Agenda is listed a Referral pertaining to the lawsuit, which was filed in July by the law firm Bourhis & Mann, on behalf of San Francisco Homeowner Kriss Miranda. The Claim charges State and County officials with engaging in concealment and intimidation while collecting billions of dollars in excessive taxes from nearly three million California homeowners. The Claim seeks damages and refunds of over 2.6 billion dollars, and also calls for reformation of the property assessment process so that tax bills are automatically adjusted when future declines in the housing market occur. According to the suit, during the recent dip in the housing market, County and Tax collectors and appraisers ignored and denied property depreciations. Under the threat of fines and penalties for late payments, government officials went on to collect billions of dollars in unwarranted and illegal taxes. “They are playing hide the ball and hoping people won’t notice,” said Ray Bourhis, partner in the filing firm. State and County government representatives counter that they have already independently reassessed and lowered taxes for hundreds of thousands of residences.
Amador County Assessor Jim Rooney has publicly encouraged local residents to request that their property be reassessed if they think they are paying too much in taxes. Amador residents can also make inquires into property assessments and assessor parcel maps online. To make an inquiry, go to www.co.amador.ca.us. Under the ‘Departments’ tab, click on the ‘Assessor’ link.
A multi-billion dollar claim has been filed against the State of California, the California Board of Equalization, and the State’s fifty-eight County Tax Collectors. On Tuesday’s Amador County Board of Supervisor’s Consent Agenda is listed a Referral pertaining to the lawsuit, which was filed in July by the law firm Bourhis & Mann, on behalf of San Francisco Homeowner Kriss Miranda. The Claim charges State and County officials with engaging in concealment and intimidation while collecting billions of dollars in excessive taxes from nearly three million California homeowners. The Claim seeks damages and refunds of over 2.6 billion dollars, and also calls for reformation of the property assessment process so that tax bills are automatically adjusted when future declines in the housing market occur. According to the suit, during the recent dip in the housing market, County and Tax collectors and appraisers ignored and denied property depreciations. Under the threat of fines and penalties for late payments, government officials went on to collect billions of dollars in unwarranted and illegal taxes. “They are playing hide the ball and hoping people won’t notice,” said Ray Bourhis, partner in the filing firm. State and County government representatives counter that they have already independently reassessed and lowered taxes for hundreds of thousands of residences. 
Amador County Assessor Jim Rooney has publicly encouraged local residents to request that their property be reassessed if they think they are paying too much in taxes. Amador residents can also make inquires into property assessments and assessor parcel maps online. To make an inquiry, go to www.co.amador.ca.us. Under the ‘Departments’ tab, click on the ‘Assessor’ link.
