Bayonne Responds to RevalReview Press Release and Website

Response to revalreview.com website and press release:

The City of Bayonne has been made aware of a press release wherein it is represented that two Bayonne residents (Michael Alonso and Peter Franco) have set up a website that purports to assist taxpayers with their property tax valuations.  This website is concerning on several levels.

1. The website (www.revalreview.com) lacks any information whatsoever as to who is operating the website and it contains no address, phone number or e-mail address with which a Bayonne resident can contact the operators of the website.  Insofar as the State of New Jersey has no corporate filings for an entity named “RevalReview” as of April 13, 2020, one must question whether or not this entity even exists.

1. If a property owner wants to obtain their property record card from RevalReview, the website requires a taxpayer to submit their name, address and e-mail address in order for “ReviewReval advocates” to review the taxpayer’s records. Given the fact that RevalReview.com provides citizens with no point of contact or other identifying information, it would seem to be an extremely risky proposition for a taxpayer to provide the requested information.

1. RevalReview’s press release incorrectly states that a “…full (sic) detailed property tax card and inspection notes outlining ASI’s revaluation of their homes” would “…ordinarily be available to any resident upon request through the Open Public Records Act” and that “[t]ypically, this would take a minimum of 7 business days…”   This is absolutely untrue. The fact of the matter is that there is no need for a taxpayer to file an OPRA request for their property record card.  Taxpayers do not have to go through the OPRA process to obtain a copy of their own property record card. They can request a copy by contacting the Tax Assessor’s office via telephone at (201) 858-6051 or by email at mjanuska@baynj.org . Although City Hall is temporarily closed to the public, the Tax Assessor’s office is handling all requests in a timely manner and continues to serve the public.  An OPRA request would only be required for someone who is requesting the records of OTHER residents’ tax records.  This is exactly what Mr. Alonso, a member of the Bayonne Board of Education, was required to do when he requested the property record cards of all property owners in the City of Bayonne on March 20, 2020.

1. The press release claims that informal hearings were interrupted by the COVID-19 crisis.  This is not true. Originally, the informal hearings were scheduled to end prior to filing the 2020 Tax List on March 12, 2020.  However, the informal hearings continued through the end of March 2020 to accommodate taxpayers.  Although the informal, in-person hearings at City Hall ended mid-March, the hearings were held telephonically throughout the month of March.  What’s more, representatives of ASI continue to discuss issues with residents of Bayonne via phone!

1. The RevalReview website states, “If you see something incorrect on your report, the Bayonne Tax Assessor has the ability to make the changes.”  This is not entirely correct.  Since the 2020 Tax List was filed with the Hudson County Board of Taxation on March 12, 2020, any changes in assessments must be made through the tax appeal process.  To that end:

• If a taxpayer sees something incorrect on his/her property record card, he/she should contact ASI at (201) 493-8530 to discuss same with a representative and to discuss scheduling a new inspection when the social distancing restrictions have been lifted.  
• If errors are found on a property that has previously been inspected, then the City will file an appeal to correct those errors. 
• If the taxpayer disagrees with the adjusted value, which may increase, he/she will have to file an appeal (by the appeal deadline or 20 days following the date of the City appeal) to formally dispute this value.  After the filing of the appeal, there will be a short window of time to arrange for the inspections and calculate new values. If a taxpayer disagrees with the updated value, there will be no additional extensions for filing an appeal. 
• If a property has not been inspected, an inspection will be arranged as soon as possible, but the property owner must file the appeal.  Given the expected volume of (a) requests to correct errors and (b) tax appeals filed without inspections, it is recommended that everybody who has a dispute with their assessment or property record card information file appeal promptly.
• If the taxpayer feels the assessed value of their property is too high, the taxpayer should file an appeal.
• Appeals can be filed with the Hudson County Board of Taxation by either filing online at www.njappealonline.com or by calling the Hudson County Tax Board for a tax appeal packet at (201) 395-6260.
• Due to COVID-19, the tax appeal deadline has been determined to be the later of May 1^st, 2020 or 30 days following a determination by the Governor that the State of Emergency declared under Executive Order No. 103 has ended. Inasmuch as the exact deadline for tax appeals cannot be predicted from this Executive Order, it is recommended that taxpayers file their tax appeals as soon as possible.