Politics & Government

Allegheny County Considers Legal Action in Reassessment Moratorium

County officials are upset that only Washington County's reassessment was stopped.

Legislation that is allowing Washington County to put the brakes on its real estate reassessment has Allegheny County officials in an uproar and investigating their legal options.

Council President Jim Burn said the county is pushing back on the legislation signed into law last week that .

The state House originally passed a bill—sponsored by state Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont—that would grant a moratorium for all counties, but it was changed in the Senate to only include Washington County. State officials said Allegheny County was excluded because the reassessment process was too far along to be stopped.

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That decision, however, is angering county officials here. Burn pointed to the fact that Allegheny last reassessed in 2002, while Washington has not gone through the process in 30 years.

“It is utterly inconceivable to me that the General Assembly would consciously decide to enact a moratorium to help one county, while going out of its way to amend the legislation to deprive Allegheny County of the very same protection,” Burn said in a written statement.

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Burn said the county solicitor is investigating their legal options and whether they have “solid legal footing” by appealing to the state Supreme Court.  

Both counties were ordered to reassess, although Washington had not yet selected a consultant to select an assessor. Allegheny County officials said that the legislation passed last week is blatantly unfair.

County Councilman Nick Futules said the General Assembly acknowledged the reassessment process needs to be reformed.

“The Assembly chose to ignore its own words and grant one county preferential treatment, while penalizing the residents of another,” he said in a statement.

In February, Plum, Oakmont and Verona councils each approved a resolution supporting a moratorium in Allegheny County.

It is not immediately clear what legal steps can be taken, but Burn said the solicitor is working quickly to investigate the options.

 “Allegheny County has been penalized by the Assembly for attempting to work within the confines of the law,” Burn said. “We will investigate every legal avenue for remedying this injustice, and will move post haste once we determine the best course of action to correct this unfair and unjust treatment of Allegheny County residents.”


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