LAC 61:V.3101 — Public Exposure of Assessments, Appeals to the Board of Review and Board of Review Hearings

A. Assessment lists shall be open for public inspection each year for a period of 15 days, beginning no earlier than August 15 and ending no later than September 15, except in Jefferson Parish, where the lists shall be open for public inspection no earlier than August 1 and ending no later than September 15 and in Orleans Parish, the lists shall be exposed daily, except Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays, for inspection by the taxpayers and other interested persons during the period of July 15-August 15 of each year unless August 15 falls on a weekend or a legal holiday, when the period shall extend until the next business day.
1. If and when the taxable assessment of a taxpayer’s property for a tax year increases by 15 percent or more from its assessment in the previous tax year, the assessor, prior to opening the assessment lists for public inspection, shall provide notice to a taxpayer of the assessment for current tax year and previous tax year by using Form TC-2, notice of increase in property value (see R.S. 47:1987).
2. A property owner or authorized agent of the property owner may make a written request for notice of the current year’s assessment of the property of which that person is the owner, however, such request shall be made no sooner than the first day of June of that year, and such request shall be received by the assessor of the parish or district in which the property is located no later than June fifteenth of that same year. The authorized agent of the property owner shall provide with the request for the assessment, written authorization from the property owner for that agent to act as the authorized agent of the property owner in the request of the notice of an assessment. The property owner or the authorized agent of the property owner shall provide to the assessor at the time of the mailing of the notice, appropriate means for the return of the notice such as a self-addressed stamped envelope of sufficient size and adequate postage to hold the notice requested. The assessor, at no cost to him, shall deliver to the property owner or the authorized agent of the property owner through the means provided a written notice of the assessed value of the property no later than the close of business on the third day for inspection of the assessment lists.
3. Any property owner or agent who has requested notice of assessed value pursuant to Paragraph 2 of this Subchapter may also provide an email address to the assessor. If an email address is provided within the period specified in Paragraph 2 of this Subchapter, the assessor shall email written notice of the assessed value of the related property on the first day for the inspection of the assessment lists.
B.1. Each assessor shall publish the dates, time and place of the public exposure of the assessment lists of both real and personal property in a newspaper of general circulation in their respective parishes. Notice shall be published at least twice within a period of not sooner than 21 days nor later than seven days prior to the beginning of the 15 calendar day period of exposure. This notice shall include the following:
PLEASE NOTE: You must submit all information concerning the value of your property to your assessor before the deadline for filing an appeal with the Board of Review. The failure to submit such information may prevent you from relying on that information should you protest your value.
2. Each assessor shall notify the Louisiana Tax Commission of the public exposure dates at least 21 days prior to the public exposure period, which dates shall be published by the Louisiana Tax Commission on its website.
C. During this period of public exposure, each assessor shall provide the taxpayer access to a form entitled "Exhibit A, Notice of Appeal Request for Board of Review" (Form 3101).
D. Each assessor will make any determined changes to the assessment list during the public exposure period, and shall certify the assessment lists to the parish Board of Review within three business days of the final exposure date. The Orleans Parish Assessors shall certify their assessment lists to the Board of Review on or before the tenth business day after August 15.
E.1. Each assessor shall publish two notices of the parish's Board of Review appeal hearing dates in the local newspaper within a period of 21 and 7 days prior to the actual hearing date(s). Each assessor shall then notify the Tax Commission in writing of the Board of Review hearing date(s) and shall provide the commission with an affidavit executed by the local paper demonstrating proof of publication. Appeals must be received by the Board of Review no later than seven days prior to the public hearing.
2. Each assessor shall notify the Louisiana Tax Commission of the Board of Review appeal hearing dates prior to the beginning of the public exposure period, which dates shall be published by the Louisiana Tax Commission on its website.
F. The Parish Police Jury or Parish Council shall sit as the Board of Review. The Board of Review shall convene hearings within 10 days of its receipt of the certified rolls. The Board of Review shall conduct hearings for all persons or their representatives desiring to be heard on the assessments of immovable and movable property. On the fifteenth day after the Board of Review begins the public hearings, the assessment lists, together with any changes in connection therewith, shall be certified and sent to the Tax Commission within three days. R.S. 47:1992.
G. The Board of Review has the authority to increase or decrease the assessment of immovable or movable property made by the assessor in accordance with the fair market or use value determination by the board. The validity of each assessment shall be determined on its own merits using recognized appraisal techniques, R.S. 47:1992(C).
H. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the procedure for inspection of assessment lists in Orleans Parish shall be as follows.
1. The assessor shall prepare and make up the lists showing the assessment of immovable and movable property in Orleans Parish. The lists shall be exposed daily, except Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays, for inspection by the taxpayers and other interested persons during the period of July 15 through August 15 of each year unless August 15 falls on a weekend or a legal holiday, when the period shall extend until the next business day. The assessor shall give notice of such exposure for inspection in accordance with rules and regulations established by the Louisiana Tax Commission. On or before the tenth business day after the completion of public inspection, the assessor shall certify his rolls to the Board of Review.
2.a. The Board of Review shall consider all written complaints in which the taxpayer has timely filed the reports as required by R.S. 47:2301 et seq. and R.S. 47:2321 et seq., and which have been:
i. filed on the complaint form provided by the board, through the office of the assessor;
ii. completed in conformity with the requirements of the Board of Review;
iii. received by the office of the assessor, no later than three business days after the last date on which the lists are exposed.
b. Any complaints received by the assessor’s office shall be forwarded to the Board of Review within seven business days after the last date in which the lists are exposed.
3. The Board of Review shall convene hearings on or before September fifteenth. The board may appoint one or more board members as hearing officers, who may conduct all required public hearings of the board with or without the presence of the other members, provided that no final action may be taken unless a quorum of the Board of Review is present. The board may make a determination to increase or decrease the assessment of real or personal property made by the assessor in accordance with the fair market or use valuation as determined by the board.
4. The Board of Review shall certify the assessment list to the Louisiana Tax Commission on or before October twentieth of each year. The Louisiana Tax Commission requests and recommends that the Board of Review maintain the certified list on its website or through other publicly available digital means.
I. The Board of Review, during its public hearing(s), shall have copies of the Louisiana Tax Commission appeal rules and regulations and Appeal Form 3103.A available for any assessor and/or taxpayer desiring to further appeal to the Tax Commission.
J. The Board of Review shall provide each taxpayer with a written notice of their particular appeal determination with a copy submitted to the assessor and the Tax Commission on or before the certification of the assessment list to the Tax Commission. The notice of determination shall be sent simultaneously to the assessor and the taxpayer at the address shown on the appeal form by registered or certified mail. The Board of Review shall include an Appeal Form 3103.A with the notice of determination.
K.1. The determination of the Board of Review shall be final unless appealed, in writing, to the Tax Commission within 30 calendar days of the earlier of:
a. actual delivery of the Board of Review decision; or
b. written transmission of the Board of Review notice of determination.
2. The Board of Review shall record and report the method of transmission and the date of written transmission to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Either the taxpayer, the parish assessor, and/or a bona fide representative of an affected tax-recipient body may appeal the Board of Review determination to the Tax Commission.
Form 3101
Exhibit A
Appeal to Board of Review
by Property Owner/Taxpayer
For Real and Personal Property
Name:________________Parish/District:________________
Taxpayer
Address:______________City,State,Zip:_________________
Ward:___Assessment/Tax Bill Number:____Appeal No.____
Board of Review
(Attach copy of complete appeal submitted to the Board of Review)
Address or Legal Description of Property Being Appealed (Also, please identify building by place of business for convenience of appraisal)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
I hereby request the review of the assessment of the above described property pursuant to L.R.S. 47:1992.
The assessor has determined Fair Market Value of this property at:
Land $_____ Improvement $____ * Personal Property $_____
Total $_____
I am requesting that the Fair Market Value of this property be fixed at:
Land $_____ Improvement $____ * Personal Property $_____
Total $_____
* If you are not appealing personal property, leave this section blank.
Please notify me of the date, place and time of my appeal at the address shown below.
PLEASE NOTE: You must submit all information concerning the value of your property to your assessor before the deadline for filing an appeal with the Board of Review. The failure to submit such information may prevent you from relying on that information should you protest your value.