City Hall Chief of Staff Takes Advantage of
HUGE tax break on new home

Intentional Under-assessment a selling point for new-build homes in Buffalo
City Hall WATCH Oct.23

October 23, 2001


to: VINCENT LOVALLO, Mayoral Aide

from: Richard Kern, MSW

RE: Assessment Inequities

Your so-called "Market Rate" new home on William Price Parkway in the (heavily taxpayer-subsidized) Main-LaSalle Project is assessed at 65% of its purchase price. WHY?

Data on your house:

101 Wm. Price Pkwy assessed $112,000

(WHICH IS 65% of) purchase price of $171,810

In contrast:

  • Texas investor (slumlord?) Scott Wizig got 80 to 90% off his new GAR assessed values on nearly 300 parcels. He pays less than $100 annual city/county tax on most of his houses
  • Week after week, West Side (& East Side) sales under $50,000 average less than half of new GAR Assessments, as owners lose life savings in their homes
  • Vacant lots, there are over 11,000 of them, sell for 10% to 20% of new GAR values, as thet also pay a garbage fee (taxing lack of value?)

PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY TAXPAYERS SHOULD PAY $2 MILLION FOR OBVIOUSLY INACCURATE & UNFAIR RESULTS

I will post your answers on www.Kernwatch.com
(you could perhaps post them on www.ci.buffalo.ny.us as well)

cc. GAR Assoc; Assessment Dept; Community groups


Richard Kern, MSW, 882-2388, Oct 22. 2001
WEBSITE: www.kernwatch.com email: Kernwatch@AOL.com

City Hall Chief of Staff Vincent LoVallo

email: vlovallo@city-buffalo.com