By Ken Valenti

WESTPORT–The Board of Assessment Appeals heard one request for a lower valuation of a vehicle – a 2021 Subaru that had been in an accident – at its meeting in Town Hall last night.

Earlier this year, the board heard larger appeals to home and real estate values early this year, when hundreds of homeowners contested their assessments. Last night’s one-hour session in the lobby of Town Hall was an opportunity for residents to argue for lower assessments on their cars, SUVs and other vehicles – and even horses.

The resident who made an appeal, who asked not to be identified, argued that his Subaru’s appraisal should be lower than its $27,070 book value because of the accident damage and its 138,000 miles.

Shaving $5,000 off its value would save $66 on the taxes.

Board member Joseph Sledge said the board does not have the leeway it used to have in adjusting assessments. Beginning Oct. 1, 2024, each assessment is based on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price – the sticker price – depreciated over 20 years.

Still, Sledge asked the resident a series of questions about the vehicle’s accessories, types of seats, leaks, rust and other conditions. In the end, he said the Board would discuss the request to lower the assessment by $5,000. The town assessor’s office will mail the owner a final decision in early October, Sledge said.

Board members recalled a case several years ago where a resident received an $85,000 Tesla he’d been waiting for about a year. Shortly after it arrived, the value, according to J.D. Power, jumped to more than $100,000.

Further checking showed that J.D. Power had erred in the higher number.

“We want it to be fair,” Sledge said. “Fair, transparent and defensible.”

The lowest assessment allowed on a vehicle is $500, a valuation that, in Westport, translates into a tax bill of $4.62 for this year.

Ken Valenti

^{_{A career journalist and lifelong resident of the New York City region, Ken Valenti has enjoyed decades of reporting local, regional and national news in New York and Connecticut. Topics of special interest are development, the environment, Long Island Sound and transportation. When not reporting, he’s always on the lookout for the perfect coffee shop or used book sale.}}