Town Assessor
Grota Appraisals
Phone: (262) 253-1142
http://www.assessordata.org/
2023 Town of Cedarburg Revaluation
Cover Letter Mailed to All Property Owners 4-18-23
Explanation of Revaluation Letter (included with your assessment letter)
2023 Open Book/Board of Review Notice
Questions: Contact Ray Koscak at (262) 253-1142 or raykoscak@catalisgov.com
Revaluation Frequently Asked Questions
New Property Assessments Mailed 4-18-23
The Town Assessor’s Office is performing a Town-wide revaluation of all taxable property for 2023, following requirements established in state law. Accordingly, all Town of Cedarburg property owners will receive a New Notice of Assessment letter (mailed 4-18-23). These letters will include an updated assessed valuation, contact information for the Town Assessor’s Office for any questions or concerns and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that explains more about the revaluation process. Also included will be the scheduled meeting date(s) and time(s) for the Town’s “Open Book” and Board of Review. The Board of Review meets annually to approve new property assessments and review any objections.
Put simply, the purpose of a revaluation is not to collect more taxes. Rather, it is intended to correct instances of unfairness that can occur over time. The Town of Cedarburg has not conducted a revaluation in 13 years, and state law requires periodic revaluations to address value changes. Over time, values in different neighborhoods and areas, and among different property types, change unequally. Without a revaluation, relative assessments among properties become inequitable, resulting in some owners paying too much in property taxes and others not paying their fair share.
The Town Board chose to undertake a Market Update Revaluation for 2023. This type of revaluation is conducted mostly in-house by the Assessor’s Office, analyzing true arm’s-length sales that have recently occurred within the Town of Cedarburg and using those sales to determine new assessed values that reflect current market values. This will not require interior viewing of homes.
Upon receiving new assessment notices, Town of Cedarburg property owners will have an opportunity to discuss their new assessed valuation with the Assessor’s Office staff, if there is belief that the Assessor’s Office made an error or did not have sufficient information upon which to calculate the new valuation. In Wisconsin, this is called “Open Book”. This year, Open Book meetings are scheduled for May 10th between 9am-4pm, and will be conducted mostly by email or telephone with limited in-person appointments. If residents are still not satisfied after completing the Open Book process, they have an opportunity to appeal an assessment to the Town’s Board of Review. The Board of Review meeting will be held at the Town Hall on June 16th at 6pm.
Looking ahead, it is anticipated that Town of Cedarburg property owners will begin receiving their New Notice of Assessment in the mail sometime during early Spring 2023. In the meantime, should residents or business owners have any further questions, they are encouraged to contact the Town of Cedarburg’s Assessment Office, at (262) 253-1142 or raykoscak@catalisgov.com.
Assessor: Ray Koscak, 262-253-1142, raykoscak@catalisgov.com
Grota Appraisals
The Town utilizes Grota Appraisals, an appraisal firm from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, to handle all aspects of the Town's assessments. To view a property's assessment in the Town of Cedarburg, you may go to assessordata.org and input the property address you are reviewing.
2023 Open Book
The Assessor will be available on the 10th day of May, 2023, via phone or email from 9 am to noon, and 1-4pm primarily via phone. Instructional material will be made available by the Assessor to persons who wished to object to valuations under s. 70.47, Wis. Stats.
Open Book: May 10, 2023 from 9:00-Noon, and 1-4pm. Call or email the assessor any time before the end of the Open Book.
Assessor: Ray Koscak, 262-253-1142, raykoscak@catalisgov.com
2023 Board of Review
The Board of Review for the Town of Cedarburg will hold its first meeting on May 3, 2023 at 6:45 pm at Town Hall, 1293 Washington Avenue for the purpose of calling the Board of Review into session during the 45 day period beginning on the 4th Monday of April, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 70.47(1). The Board will convene and immediately adjourn. No hearings/appeals will be held at the meeting on May 3, 2023.
The Board of Review's second meeting will be held on June 16, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Town Hall for the purpose of reviewing and examining the assessment roll of real and personal property in the Town. The Board of Review is a local, quasi-judicial body that hears objections to property (real & personal) assessments, add mistakenly omitted property to the tax roll, and correct errors in assessment that were not resolved at the Open Book. Those wishing to be heard and reviewed are required to apply no later than 48 hours before the Board of Review. Objection forms can be requested , Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Contact Clerk/Assistant Administrator Jack Johnston at 262-377-4509 or email him at jjohnston@townofcedarburgwi.gov for instructional material and application forms to object to valuations under s. 70.47, Wis. Stats. Once application materials are complete, email them to Jack Johnston at jjohnston@townofcedarburgwi.gov to file the forms and reserve a time slot before the Board of Review no later than 48 hours before the Board of Review meeting.