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After receiving and reviewing my Allegheny County property tax eBill the other day, I believe that the county's millage decrease was not enough. Since the average property assessment increase for Allegheny County was 32 percent, the 2013 millage should have been decreased about 24 percent to collect the same amount of tax money as in 2012.
As stated in the eBill, the millage was decreased from 5.69 in 2012 to 4.73 in 2013, which is a 16.9 percent decrease. According to my math, the 2013 millage should be about 4.320.
My property assessment increased about 33 percent (close to the average) and my tax increased by 8.6 percent, which is close to the difference between the 24 percent the millage should have been decreased and the actual 16.9 percent decrease.
If the 32 percent average assessment increase holds after all appeals are processed, the county should collect between 7 and 8 percent more money in 2013 than in 2012.
LEN KACHMAR
Morningside
First Published February 4, 2013 12:00 am
