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; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13; ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2801.02 “Department” means the department of revenue administration.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13; ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2801.03  “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; ss by #8816, eff 2-6-07; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13 (from Rev 2801.02); ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2801.04  “Manual” means sections 1, 3, and 8 of the most recently adopted  New Hampshire equalization manual as approved by the New Hampshire assessing standards board.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13 (from Rev 2801.03); ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2801.05  “Multi-modal” means 2 or more different classes or strata of properties assessed at statistically different ratios.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13 (from Rev 2801.04); ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2801.06  “Municipality” means a city, town, or unincorporated place.

 

Source.  #10277, eff 2-22-13 (from Rev 2801.05); ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

PART Rev 2802  Equalization Manual

 

          Rev 2802.01  Equalization Manual.

 

          (a)  In addition to the requirements of RSA 21-J:9-a, the department shall annually determine the total equalized valuation of properties in the cities and towns and unincorporated places in accordance with sections 1, 3, and 8 of the manual.

 

          (b)  The manual shall be available upon request at no cost by:

 

(1)  Accessing the web at www.revenue.nh.gov;

 

(2)  Calling (603) 230-5950; or

 

(3)  Writing to:

 

Assessing Standards Board Clerk

New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration

PO Box 487

109 Pleasant Street

Concord, NH 03301-0487

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #8816, eff 2-6-07; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13; ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

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.

 

          (a)  Assessing officials shall submit municipal assessment data to the department as part of a sales assessment ratio study used in the equalization process.

 

          (b)  Assessing officials shall verify and provide the following municipal assessing data:

 

(1)  The previous tax year’s assessment before applying exemptions or credits;

 

(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; and

 

(5)  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 manual.

 

          (c)  Within 45 days of notification by the department, assessing officials shall:

 

(1)  Electronically file municipal assessment data with the department in a format compatible with the department’s electronic system; and

 

(2)  Certify that the municipal assessment data certificate is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge by mailing or delivering the certificate to:

 

New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration

Equalization Bureau

PO Box 487

109 Pleasant Street

Concord, NH 03301-0487.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13; ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2803.02  Form PA-34, Inventory of Property Transfer.

 

(a)  The department shall use Form PA-34 to verify the municipal assessment data.

 

(b)  Every buyer, purchaser, grantee, assignee, or transferee shall file Form PA-34 with the department no later than 30 days from the following, whichever is later:

 

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

 

(2)  The date of the transfer.

 

(c)  The Form PA-34 shall be:

 

(1) Filed electronically through the Granite Tax Connect web portal located at www.revenue.nh.gov/gtc; or

 

(2)  Mailed or delivered to:

 

New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration

Equalization Bureau

PO Box 1313

109 Pleasant Street

Concord, New Hampshire 03301-1313.

 

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

 

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

 

(2)  The date of the transfer.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13; ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2803.03  Equalization Ratio.

 

          (a)  The department shall use the weighted mean ratio to adjust a municipality’s modified assessed valuation.

 

          (b)  The department shall use the weighted mean ratio calculated to one tenth of one percent.

 

          (c)  If the weighted mean ratio does not accurately represent a municipality’s level of assessment, the department shall determine an alternate ratio in accordance with the manual.

 

          (d)  The criteria for an alternate ratio in (c) 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, including renewable generation facility property subject to a payment in lieu of taxes agreement under RSA 72:74.

 

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; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13; amd by #10815, eff 4-22-15; ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

          Rev 2803.04  Revised Ratio Studies.

 

          (a)  The department shall revise a municipality’s ratio study 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; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13; ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 

PART Rev 2804  APPEALS

 

          Rev 2804.01  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)  A municipality may appeal the total equalized valuations calculated by the department at the conclusion of the equalization process to the board of tax and land appeals in accordance with RSA 71-B:5, II.

 

Source.  #8258, eff 1-15-05; ss by #8816, eff 2-6-07; ss by #10277, eff 2-22-13 (formerly Rev 2805.01); ss by #13488, eff 11-15-22

 


APPENDIX

 

RULE

STATUTE IMPLEMENTED

 

 

Rev 2801.01 - Rev 2801.06

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; RSA 74:18

Rev 2804.01

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