FREDERICTON (GNB) – A preliminary review of property assessments has found that an arbitrary formula was used to assist with the estimation of property values in both 2011 and 2017, announced Service New Brunswick Minister Ed Doherty.
“We want to make sure that New Brunswickers can have trust in their property assessment and taxation system, and I recognize that is not currently the case,” said Doherty. “We have begun an internal review, which has cast some light onto the information revealed last week, and we want to be transparent and share that with New Brunswickers.”
Doherty said that officials within Service New Brunswick noted that a number of properties with high assessment increases would not be able to undergo the full quality control procedures prior to the billing cycle. In order to adjust the assessment values below the values generated with the assistance of a computer system, an arbitrary formula was developed and used. This resulted in bills that, while still higher than the previous year, were significantly lower than what was produced by the computer system. Service New Brunswick staff will be inspecting all of these properties again and issuing revised bills to all impacted property owners.
Research completed since March 30 has found that in 2011 a formula was also applied to properties at that time in order to assist with the estimation of values.
“I regret all of the confusion caused by this and I apologize to New Brunswickers,” said Doherty. “It seems, however, that this is a long-running and systemic issue and our government will fix it.”
Doherty and Premier Brian Gallant will be available to the news media to provide more details on the property assessment review being undertaken at noon TODAY, Monday, April 3, at the Delta Beausejour, 750 Main St., Moncton.
03-04-17