CHAPTER Rev 2800  EQUALIZATION OF ASSESSMENT FOR EACH TOWN, CITY, AND UNINCORPORATED PLACE WITHIN THE STATE

 

PART Rev 2801  DEFINITIONS

 

        Rev 2801.01  "Assessing officials " means:

 

        (a)  Governing body of a municipality;

 

        (b)  Assessors of a municipality; or

 

        (c)  County commissioners of an unincorporated place.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

        Rev 2801.02  “Equalization” means the process by which adjustments are made to each municipality’s locally assessed values to calculate the estimated market value of the municipality.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

Rev 2801.03  “Manual” means sections 1, 3, or 8 of the manual, approved by the equalization standards board, in effect on November 29, 2005.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #8816, eff 2-6-07

 

        Rev 2801.04  “Multi-modal” means 2 or more different classes or strata of properties assessed at statistically different ratios.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

        Rev 2801.05  "Municipality", means a city, town or unincorporated place.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

PART Rev 2802  Equalization Manual

 

Rev 2802.01  Equalization Manual.

 

        (a)  The department adopts sections 1, 3, and 8 of the New Hampshire equalization manual approved by the New Hampshire equalization standards board as of November 29, 2005.

 

        (b)  The equalization standards board’s New Hampshire equalization manual shall be available upon request, from the board at no cost by:

 

(1)  Online at www.revenue.state.nh.us.

 

(2)  Calling (603) 271-2687; or

 

(3)  Writing to:

 

Equalization Standards Board Clerk

New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration

P O Box 1313

Concord, New Hampshire 03302-1313.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #8816, eff 2-6-07

 

PART Rev 2803  DETERMINING THE AVERAGE LEVEL OF ASSESSMENT FOR EACH TOWN, CITY, AND UNINCORPORATED PLACE WITHIN THE STATE

 

        Rev 2803.01  Municipal Assessment Data Sheets.

 

        (a)  Municipal assessment data sheets shall be used as part of a sales assessment ratio study used in the equalization process.

 

        (b)  Assessing officials shall:

 

(1)  Return the completed municipal assessment data sheets to the department within 45 days of receipt of the sheets; or

 

(2)  In the case of electronic filing, return the filing within 45 days of notification by the department.

 

        (c)  The municipal assessment data sheets shall be:

 

(1)  Mailed or delivered to:

 

New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration

Equalization Bureau

P O Box 1313

Concord, New Hampshire 03302-1313

 

(2)  Submitted electronically in a format compatible with the department’s electronic system.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

        Rev 2803.02  Inventory of Property Transfer.

 

        (a)  An inventory of property transfer shall be used to verify information on the municipal assessment data sheets.

 

        (b)  Every buyer, purchaser, grantee, assignee or transferee shall file an original Form PA-34, Inventory of Property Transfer with the department no later than 30 days after the later of the following:

 

(1)  Recording date of the deed at the registry of deeds; or

 

(2)  The date of the transfer.

 

        (c)  The inventory of property transfer shall be mailed or delivered to:

 

New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration

Equalization Bureau

57 Regional Drive

P O Box 1313

Concord, New Hampshire 03302-1313

 

        (d)  A copy of completed Form PA-34 shall be filed with the municipality no later than 30 days after the later of the following:

 

(1)  Recording date of the deed at the registry of deeds; or

 

(2)  The date of the transfer.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

        Rev 2803.03  Equalization Ratio.

 

        (a)  The weighted mean ratio shall be used to adjust a municipality’s modified assessed valuation.

 

        (b)  An equalization ratio of 1.00 shall be used if the weighted mean ratio with a 90% confidence interval straddles 1.00.

 

        (c)  The weighted mean ratio calculated to one tenth of one percent shall be used if the weighted mean ratio with a 90% confidence interval does not straddle 1.00.

 

        (d)  An alternate ratio may be determined in accordance with the equalization manual if the weighted mean ratio does not accurately represent a municipality’s level of assessment.

 

        (e)  The criteria for an alternate ratio in (d) above, shall be:

 

(1)  The sample of sales does not contain the minimum of 20 valid sales;

 

(2)  An unexplained increase or decrease in the ratio that is more than 10% different than the increases or decreases of the ratios in any of the surrounding municipalities;

 

(3)  An unexplained increase or decrease in the ratio that is more than 10% different than the increases or decreases of the ratios in any other municipalities within the same cooperative or regional school district;

 

(4)  Supplemental data and information provided by the municipality shows that the sample of sales of properties is generally not reflective of the property comprising the municipality’s valuation base;

 

(5)  Data and information provided by the municipality shows the weighted mean ratio is unduly affected by multi-modal assessments in the municipality;

 

(6)  A municipality requests, prior to the calculation of the total equalized valuation, separate assessment ratios by stratum provided that the strata:

 

a.  Contain at least 20 valid sales; and

 

b.  Have a confidence interval, calculated with a 90% confidence level, that is wholly outside the confidence level of other strata;

 

(7)  For (5) and (6) above, the municipality shall have provided accurate assessed value information consistent with the strata category used for the application of separate assessment ratios; and

 

(8)  In applying the separate ratios, a single, weighted overall ratio for the municipality shall be based upon the separate ratios and the total assessed valuation of each strata to adjust:

 

a.  Payments-in-lieu-of taxes;

 

b.  Railroad tax monies;

 

c.  Shared revenues;

 

d.  Current use values for a municipality’s equalization ratio; and

 

e.  Compute the municipality’s total equalized evaluation, where applicable.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

        Rev 2803.04  Revised Ratio Studies.

 

        (a)  A municipality’s ratio study may be revised if new or revised information is presented prior to the expiration of the appeal period pursuant to RSA 71-B:5 II.

 

(b)  Revisions shall include, but are not limited to:

 

(1)  Correcting assessment errors;

 

(2)  Considering new verified information;

 

(3)  Correcting a sale’s property code; or

 

(4)  Reviewing the representativeness of the sampling.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 

PART Rev 2804  FORMS AND DATA SHEETS

 

        Rev 2804.01  Municipal Assessment Data Sheets.

 

        (a)  For the property sales listed on the municipal assessment data sheets sent to the municipalities from the department, the assessing officials shall verify or provide:

 

(1)  The previous tax year's assessment, before applying exemptions or credits unless a full revaluation was conducted for the current year;

 

(2)  The current tax year's assessment, before applying exemptions or credits;

 

(3)  A statement explaining the change if there is a difference between the prior and current tax year's assessments;

 

(4)  Comments verifying, amending and adding to the sales information that may affect the inclusion or exclusion of the sale;

 

(5)  Specific comments regarding the inclusion or exclusion of the sale in the ratio study; and

 

(6)  Information the assessing officials have knowledge of which would indicate that the sale or transfer might not reflect an arms length transaction as listed in section 3.05.02 (b) of the equalization manual.

 

        (b)  The municipal officials shall include a dated and signed municipal assessment sheet certification stating:

 

“We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the assessment and sales information provided by us on the Municipal Assessment Data Sheets has been thoroughly reviewed by this Board and is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge.

 

We understand that this information will be used by the NH Department of Revenue Administration to calculate the municipality’s equalization ratio. The equalization ratio will be used to calculate the total equalized valuation for this municipality.”

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #8816, eff 2-6-07

 

        Rev 2804.02  Form PA-34, Inventory of Property Transfer.

 

        (a)  The real estate buyer, purchaser, grantee, assignee or transferee of each transfer shall complete and file with the department the original Form PA-34, “Inventory of Property Transfer”.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #8816, eff 2-6-07

 

PART Rev 2805  APPEALS

 

        Rev 2805.01  Appeals.

 

        (a)  Assessing officials may contact the department prior to the calculation of the total equalized valuation for:

 

(1)  Revisions as stated in Rev 2803.04 (b); or

 

(2)  Consideration of an alternate ratio methodology as stated in 3.11 of the manual.

 

        (b)  Pursuant to RSA 71-B:5, II, a municipality may appeal the total equalized valuations calculated at the conclusion of the equalization process with the board of tax and land appeals.

 

  Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05

 


APPENDIX

 

RULE

STATUTE IMPLEMENTED

 

 

Rev 2801.01- Rev 2801.05

RSA 21-J:13 IX

Rev 2802.01 – Rev 2804.02

RSA 21-J:13 IX

Rev 2803.01- Rev 2803.04

RSA 21-J:13 IX

Rev 2804.01

RSA 21-J:13 IX

Rev 2804.02

RSA 21-J:13 IX

Rev 2805.01

RSA 21-J:13 IX, RSA 71-B:5 II