Board of Abatement

Town board for the abatement of taxes:
Per Vermont Statute 24 V.S.A. § 1533 – The board of civil authority, with the listers and the town treasurer, shall constitute a board for the abatement of town and property taxes and water and sewer charges.

WHAT IS TAX ABATEMENT?

Abatement is a statutory process for relieving taxpayers from the burden of property taxes, penalty (collection fees) and interest when the law authorizes abatement and when the board, in its discretion, agrees that the request is reasonable and proper. It exists to permit the board to prevent an injustice or to help a taxpayer who faces extraordinary circumstances that make it difficult for the taxpayer to meet his or her tax obligations. Abatements are cautiously granted insofar as they reduce the income to the town and require the town to either spend less or increase the taxes on the rest of the taxpayers to make up the difference.

The preceding is a summary from About Abatement a 2014 publication of the Office of the Vermont Secretary of State, which outlines the process of Abatement for both the taxpayer and the Board of Abatement.

Although there is no specific time limit as to when requests for Tax Abatements can be made, it is helpful to have adequate time for the posting of Abatement Hearings and for the Board of Abatement to have scheduling options so that an appropriate quorum can be assembled.  It is also helpful from the Town’s perspective to understand it financial liability regarding abatements by the end of the calendar fiscal year December 31.

Please contact the Town Clerk if you would like to schedule an Abatement hearing or have questions about making an Abatement request.  It will be helpful in understanding your request if you can be as detailed as possible as to what property was lost or destroyed.  The Board of Abatement may ask for additional information pertaining to insurance and or FEMA claims, photographs or other material in order to make a fair and just decision.

DOCUMENT RESOURCES

A Handbook on Property Tax Assessment Appeals
Appealing Your Property Tax Bill

HEARINGS

Document TitleDateCategoriesLinkhf:doc_categories
BOA Hearing Notice – Butler 09-21-2021

2021-09-21

boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement
BOA Hearing Notice – Butler 09-21-2021

2021-09-21

boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement
BOA Minutes -Butler 09-27-2021

2021-09-27

boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement
BOA Warning Van-Valkenburgh 01-24-2022

2022-01-24

boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement
BOA Minutes van-Valkenburgh 01-24-2022

2022-01-24

boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement
BOA Warning – S Savage 06-13-2022

2022-06-13

boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement
BOA Minutes S Savage 06-13-2022

2022-06-13

boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement
BOA Hearing Notice 12-12-22 Doane

2022-12-12

, boa-hearings-2018-2022 hearings-board-of-abatement