The hot item this week is HB 316, which would eliminate the requirement that property owners provide access to assessors to preserve the right to challenge tax assessments. Instead, property owners would be required to fill out an inventory form, failing which they would lose the right to appeal. The Municipal Association is opposed to this bill, claiming it will give property owners a strong incentive to never allow assessors to inspect their property. This bill is pending before the Municipal and County Government Committee.
Some of the other real estate bills we are watching:
HB 173: requiring commercial landlords to send eviction documents by certified mail to the tenant's last known address. In our view, this bill helps landlords by head-off claims by tenants they were never made aware of the eviction. The Judiciary committee approved this bill by a vote of 17-0, and it is heading to the full House for a vote.
HB 243: H
enabling towns and cities to establish a local revenue option as an alternative to property taxation for the funding of local government costs. This bill would permit towns to implement an income, sales tax, value-added tax, or other revenue program, provided the tax or revenue program is applied proportionally and reasonably within the taxing district, and is designed to replace the revenue derived from property taxes. No hearing has been scheduled yet.
HB 352: permitting the separation of lots deemed automatically consolidated under prior law. Last year the legislature eliminated the ability of towns and cities to automatically consolidate adjoining, nonconforming lots. HB 352 goes one step further by permitted property owners to separate lots previously consolidated under prior law. A hearing is scheduled for February 10 at 9:00 am in Room 301 of the Legislative Office Building.
SB 125: permitting the deduction of personal services from the business profits tax. This bill would permit sole proprietors, general partners and LLC members to deduct "fair and reasonable compensation" for their personal services to the business from the business profits tax. No hearing has been scheduled yet.
We are following over 90 bills. Click this link to see the full list.
