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AGENCY TESTIMONY

Firestone's experience with public outreach and education

1:29:08

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Firestone details his extensive experience in public outreach and education, particularly in helping property owners understand and navigate the assessment and appeal process.

Attended numerous borough outreach sessions as a Tax Commission representative
Explained assessment calculations and tax computations to individual property owners
Guided property owners on how to challenge assessments and find comparable sales data
Provided information and explanations to unrepresented applicants during hearings
Focused on helping applicants understand what they need for successful appeals

Robert Firestone

1:29:08

During my eighteen years with the tax commission, I have attended many borough outreach sessions as a representative of the tax commission where I explained to individual property owners how their assessments and taxes were calculated, walking them through the calculation step by step, and explained what they need to establish in order to challenge the assessment.

1:29:28

If the challenge of the assessment of a class one property requires the property owner to use comparable sales, I will explain to them how to access the rolling sales files on the Department of Finance website and the general process to find appropriate comps in the area.

1:29:44

I also provide this information to unrepresented applicants during hearings.

1:29:48

In hearings involving unrepresented applicants, I answer their questions, explain what they were missing in their presentation, and what they will need to provide in future hearings.

1:29:58

By explaining what they need to show at hearing, unrepresented applicants are more likely to leave with a favorable perception of the tax commission.

1:30:05

I find this aspect of the work extremely gratifying.

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Firestone's approach to fair and accessible property tax appeals

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