Reassessment Expected to Begin in Spring

The township wants to commence reassessment this spring, but has yet to hear from prospective firms just a week away from the request for proposal (RFP) deadline.

Assessor Dennis DeKlerk said the township published the RFPs at the end of last month, with a deadline of Feb. 28. But as of Tuesday, none had been submitted.

“I’m a little concerned because we haven’t had any response yet,” said DeKlerk.

The tentative timetable for reassessment is to award a contract in March or April, with the field work beginning around May. But if no proposals are received by the deadline, DeKlerk said Cinnaminson officials will have to republish.

According to the assessor, many municipalities in the state are undergoing reassessments and revaluations, limiting the pool of available firms. Moorestown, where DeKlerk is also the tax assessor, experienced a similar problem last year, when only one firm submitted a proposal.

Deputy Mayor Anthony Minniti was less concerned about the lack of response, saying, “A lot of times these things come in very late.”

The township has lost roughly $600,000 in uncollected taxes over the last few years due to appeals, according to DeKlerk, a number he previously called “unprecedented.”

Cinnaminson’s last revaluation was performed in 2007—just before the housing market tanked—and the new values kicked in the following year, right when the bubble burst.

The county mandated the township perform the reassessment, but more importantly, Minniti said, “It’s the right thing to do.”

The reassessment is expected to cost an estimated $200,000, but because of the county mandate the township can spread the cost over a multi-year period. The new values would take effect in 2014.