A Review of the Quality of the 2016 Blair County Property Reassessment

Executive Summary and Scope

This document presents the preliminary results of a quality review conducted for the 2016 property reassessment in Blair County. The study was performed by Alan S. Dornfest, AAS, on behalf of Blair County.

• Objective: To determine if the new 2016 assessed values meet nationally recognized standards for quality and equity.
• Standards Used: The review utilized the Standards and Textbooks of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO).
• Data Period: The analysis compared assessed values against sale prices for properties sold between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015.
• Comparison: The new assessments were compared against the original 1958 base year assessed values to measure improvement in equity and uniformity.

Key Findings

The reassessment has successfully met the goal of establishing current market value as the level of assessment for properties throughout Blair County.

• Assessment Equity: Disparity between categories has improved significantly. Original assessments showed up to a 9-fold (900%) disparity between median levels, whereas post-reassessment results show no more than a 1% difference.
• Uniformity: The new assessments meet IAAO standards for general (horizontal) uniformity in every category tested. In contrast, the original 1958 assessments failed to meet these standards in any category.
• Vertical Equity: Uniformity between high and low-priced properties is substantially improved. Most categories now meet vertical equity standards, with the exception of "Vacant lots over 10 acres," which failed by a slight margin.

Technical Analysis: Time Adjustment

The report includes an appendix detailing the "Sample Time Adjustment" used to ensure data accuracy.

• Method: A linear time adjustment was selected for the Category R ratio study.
• Rate: The monthly rate used for adjustment was -0. 129%.
• Purpose: This reduction in ratios reflects an increase in sale prices over time. Sale prices were adjusted to reflect the value as of January 1, 2016, ensuring the ratio study was run on consistent data.
• Visuals: The document provides charts comparing "Before Time Adjustment" and "After Time Adjustment" for both linear and exponential trend lines, demonstrating the stabilization of data points after adjustment.