EAST CHICAGO | Residents of East Chicago's historic Marktown neighborhood have won an appeal of their property assessments that had threatened to force some from their homes.
"We've won the appeal," said Paul A. Myers, executive director of the Marktown Preservation Society, from his front porch while addressing about 25 neighbors recently.
He thanks the Lake County auditor's office and Frank Kelly, of Nexus Group, for their assistance in the appeal.
The celebration in Marktown comes 11 months after residents began complaining that their property valuations for tax purposes were grossly overassessed in 2006. Most of the 225 properties in the historic community built up around the steel industry date from 1917.
Myers said the initial assessment valued the entire neighborhood at about $8 million. The revised assessment is about $4 million, he said.
Myers credits leadership and tenacity of community members for the successful appeal with the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance and criticizes the North Township assessor's office for the problems.
But Larry Dorociak, chief deputy North Township assessor, said Myers is unfairly demeaning his office.
"We detected errors done during the reassessment work. We fixed it. We've been busting our bubbles on this," Dorociak said.
Myers admits he holds the township assessor's office in contempt.
"I had to find out what was wrong in the first place. I proved without a doubt what they did was improper. The difference is one person stood up here and nobody stood up anywhere else," Myers said.
Dorociak said Myers appears to be campaigning against North Township Assessor John Matonovich, who must face voters Nov. 4 in a referendum to either retain or abolish the office. Myers admits, "We have got to get rid of the township assessors."
They agree on one thing, the result of the reassessment appeal will be good for residents. Dorociak said assessments, used to calculate taxes, will in some cases drop to one-fourth of their previous value.
"This will result in a tremendous savings (for Marktown property owners)," he said.
But Myers said it comes too late for some residents.
"I know some people who lost their homes because of this," Myers said.
The assessed value of one house in Marktown jumped from $12,500 to $57,000 in the initial 2006 reassessment.
Myers said residents couldn't afford professional representation in the matter. Other residents said they found the appeals process confusing.
"When you don't have knowledge of the rules and laws, you don't know where to begin," said Christine Hicks, a homeowner in the 500 block of Broad Street in Marktown.
Sherry Stone, director of real estate for the county assessor's office, said homeowners will receive a refund for overpayment of taxes within a short period.
Times staff writer Kirsten Srinivasan contributed to this report.
