Montpelier. Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz today announced the publication of a Handbook on Property Tax Appeals. The Handbook on Property Tax Appeals is a joint publication of the Office of the Secretary of State and the Vermont Department of Taxes. This publication is designed to help local officials and taxpayers navigate the property tax appeal process.

According to Secretary Markowitz " This office and the tax department have worked hard together to put out a handbook that will be useful to local officials and taxpayers. Our principal objective is to improve the quality of the appeals process statewide, and in so doing to reduce the number of appeals lost through obvious error or mistake on the part of those who administer the system." Markowitz said "It has been more than twelve years since the first Handbook on Property Tax Appeals was published. In that time, the law of property tax appeals has changed considerably. While much remains the same, court cases, as well as new laws, have filled in our knowledge of how to review the property appraisal process. In this newly revised version of the handbook we address both types of changes." Like the earlier versions, this handbook seeks to describe the tax appeal process to listers, members of the BCA, and taxpayers (appellants). It uses statutes, case law, and practical experience to illustrate the procedures and potential pitfalls in the tax appeal process."

If you wish to order a copy of the Handbook on Property Tax Appeals, please contact the Secretary of State’s Office at 802-828-2363. The Guide is also available at http://www.sec.state.vt.us/pubs/taxapp.