Webster plans first townwide reassessment since 2004; appraiser outlines timeline and tax mechanics

Webster will conduct its first townwide reassessment since 2004, town Supervisor Alex Sheldon said at a June 30 public information meeting where Robert Kuzar of KW Appraisal Group presented the firm’s plan and answered residents’ questions.

Kuzar said the reassessment will update market values using sales through July 1, 2026, and follows three phases: data analysis and verification, valuation and production, and assessment disclosures. "Reassessments does not raise tax levies," Kuzar told attendees, adding that the exercise is intended to distribute the existing tax levy more equitably by bringing assessed values closer to market value.

The change in assessed values is separate from the town’s budget, Kuzar said, and the tax rate is calculated by dividing the levy by the taxable base. He illustrated with a simplified example showing how equalization adjustments can lift a property’s market-value figure while the levy itself remains fixed unless the town board changes the budget.

Why the reassessment matters: Webster’s equalization rate has fallen since the last reassessment, Kuzar said, and the town’s current equalization rate (recently about 43%) means many assessments reflect a portion of market value established in 2004. The firm’s goal is "fair and equitable assessments at 100% value," Kuzar said, so similar properties will be treated consistently.

Key dates and procedures: KW will mail assessment disclosure notices to property owners in February–March 2027. Those notices will explain the current assessed value and KW’s proposed new value and provide instructions for informal review appointments with appraisal staff. The tentative roll is set to be filed May 1; formal grievance day is the fourth Tuesday in May (Kuzar cited May 25), and property owners who wish to appeal must file an RP-524 form with supporting documentation for the Board of Assessment Review.

Data, comparables and neighborhood codes: Kuzar described the firm’s data review: converting hand-drawn property sketches into digital records, using aerial photography for measurements, and selecting comparable sales by neighborhood code, proximity, size and style. He said the team will review three years of sales to ensure usable comps for all property types and is working with the town GIS department to publish neighborhood map layers and a linked list of sales used for valuation.

Public concerns and communications: Several residents raised concerns after receiving a mailing that omitted a cover letter, calling the error confusing; one attendee said, “This letter is given to you because we screwed up in the first place.” Kuzar apologized, said a second mailing was sent, and pointed to the project web page and Beacon feedback form for corrections and photo attachments. He said field staff will remain in public rights-of-way, wear identification badges and display window stickers on cars identifying KW.

Funding and administrative details: Kuzar said the town used ARPA funds to pay the appraisal fee. He also reviewed condition categories (poor/fair/normal/good/excellent), which improvements count in inventory (decks, garages, pools) and how age and interior condition factors feed into valuation when visible from exterior inspection and owner-provided evidence.

What happens next: Property owners will receive assessment disclosure notices in February or March 2027 and may schedule informal review appointments with KW staff. If an owner remains dissatisfied after the informal meeting, they may file the RP-524 form with supporting evidence before grievance day (fourth Tuesday in May). The project’s target completion date for the final assessment roll is July 1, 2027.

The meeting closed with Kuzar reiterating contact options (the project inbox and the assessor’s office) and notification that additional public meetings will be scheduled and posted on the town’s reassessment project page.