Judge Kenneth Valasek Orders Allegheny County Property Reassessment to Begin by 2027
Judge Kenneth Valasek ruled on Monday that Allegheny County must conduct a full property reassessment by July 2027. The order settles a lawsuit filed by homeowner Flavia Laun, who argued that the county's current system, based on 2012 values, was outdated and unfair. The ruling requires the county to appoint a special master to oversee the process and hire a third-party contractor within six months to ensure consistency across the 585,000 properties in the region. County Executive Sara Innamorato stated that the county will comply with the order, emphasizing that regular reassessments will provide transparency for homeowners and predictability for local school districts and municipalities. While the judge did not mandate a regular cycle of reassessments, the county is currently considering legislation to establish a regular schedule. The reassessment aims to correct the current system where some owners pay significantly more or less than they should based on market value. The ruling provides a victory for property owners who have sought a more uniform and fair tax system for over a decade.