Whiteley: State Property Tax Assessment Appeals Administrator Issues Directive Allowing Opportunity to Record Hearings

The following letters are both from H. LeRoy Whiteley, Jr., president of Marylanders for Fair Property Taxation, to Kent T. Finkelsen, Administrator of the Maryland Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board. A copy was provided to The Dagger for publication:

Mr. Kent T. Finkelsen, Administrator
Towne Center Building, Suite 308
6 West Washington Street
Hagerstown, Maryland 21740

Dear Mr. Finkelsen

Last Friday while meeting with Senator Barry Glassman before his introduction of SB 498, our annual Task Force bill effort to reform the property tax assessment and appeals system, we learned that you have issued a directive to all Property Tax Assessment Appeals Boards to allow taxpayers the opportunity to record their hearings using their own equipment and with prior written notice to the Board, if they so desire.

We think that is just perfect making this right available to the taxpayer before what we hope will be the successful passage of SB 69/HB 141 the Right to Record said hearings. We thank you on behalf of all Maryland taxpayers and commend you for your leadership.

Having this learning tool available to all taxpayers without question by the Board members will remove one often conflicting appeal hearing condition by eliminating one of the many intimidating unwritten, non-uniform restrictions encountered by taxpayers faced with the complex, cumbersome tax assessment appeals process.

Thanks again for this bold, positive move for the benefit of all of Maryland’s property taxpayers.

Cordially,

H. LeRoy Whiteley, Jr.

Kent T. Finkelsen.1101
Cc :Harford Delegation