Amador County - A property tax assessment scam that alleges payments are required for assessments is sweeping Amador County. Private companies using clever names like “Tax Adjusters,” “Tax Review,” or “Tax Reassessment,” are sending mailers in official-looking envelopes charging fees for the filing of decline-in-value reassessment applications. “In these unsettling economic times as the values of homes and properties decline, it is my responsibility, as County Assessor, to ensure that no property owner pays more than their fair share of taxes. People worry about foreclosures and paying property taxes even with the protection of Proposition 13. Now, they have to worry about being taken advantage of by companies offering the lure of lower taxes,” said County Tax Assessor Jim Rooney. These mailers are written in language with deadline warnings which can easily be mistaken for an official government form. “This office will be reviewing the values of many homes this year without the filing of forms and we’ll be doing it for free. I want to stress that there is no charge associated with the assessment review,” said Rooney. The guidelines for determining property taxes are set through Proposition 13. Another lesser known regulation, Proposition 8, “allows a temporary reduction in assessed value when the current market value of a property is less than the value shown on the property tax bill.” In 2008, the Assessor’s office initiated a review of all properties in the county purchased or built between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2007. In 2009, they are expanding the number to be reviewed for homes that were purchased between July 2003 and June 2008. Property owners who are considered eligible for the review will receive a letter by the end of June notifying them of the results. Owners who disagree with the results of the review or those who were not included in the review, may file a Request for Assessment Review with the Assessor’s Office through December 31. In addition, owners who still disagree with the value may file a Formal Application for Changed Assessment with the independent County Assessment Appeals Board between July 2 and November 30. If you have questions or concerns, contact the Assessors Office at 223-6351 or Jim Rooney at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).