Tax assessors, trespassing and leering into windows...

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  • Prometheus

    Master
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    Jan 20, 2008
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    Northern Indiana
    So I bought some acreage with a home up in NW Indiana a couple of months ago.

    Tax assessor came out and made his rounds and did some measuring when my wife and I weren't home. My 17 year old daughter was and didn't answer the door, she called and I said you don't have to, just ignore it. He marched around and apparently tried looking through my office window. It was a new purchase and from what I understand the county assessors office has to reassess whenever a property is sold. No notice that he was out was left. I called and inquired while this guy was going around the house if it was an appraiser as the vehicle was nondescript and my daughter was unsure who it was.

    This week apparently someone else from the assessors office came out, knocked and was nosing around. Again my wife and I weren't home but daughters were. Knocked and walked around.

    This time they were peering into my barn windows, daughter said the car they parked out front had a assessors office seal thing on the door... again no notice they had been on my property poking around, what gives?

    FYI I have no trespassing signs posted and the driveway is 450' long. If they were just coming out to (re)measure, fine whatever. Put looking into windows crosses the line IMO.

    Anyone know what actual laws govern their behavoir? I plan on installing a gate in the spring, any help there? Governing items: Homestead exemption and single family home with seperate pole barn near by, unincorporated and zoned AG cash/grain farm.

    I've been trying to find any laws regarding what they can or can't do and I came up with this gem does this apply to homes?

    http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/2010/title6/ar1.1/ch4.pdf

    Holy horrendous formatting! I can't copy paste it so here is a screen shot:
    qyoA1bJ.png


    qyoA1bJ.png
     
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    Dosproduction

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    5   0   0
    Aug 25, 2013
    1,696
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    Porter County
    Hate the tax man. One time I was at a shooting class and the best shot there was a tax collector. Before I knew I told him Man U r a good shot what do u do (these where mostly cops qualifying) he said he was a tax collector. I told him I hated taxes and he said that's why he was a good shot.
     

    JTScribe

    Chicago Typewriter
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    10   0   0
    Dec 24, 2012
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    Bartholomew County
    Tagging for interest, I'm curious to see what resolution you get. I've had my share of annoying experiences with the assessor myself. For some reason when we bought our house they had it and the land assessed for over double what we'd paid for it. And by comparison it wasn't nearly the largest or nicest house on the street, all of which were assessed at less than what they assessed our property for. I made a couple of calls to the assessor's office and never really got any satisfaction. Eventually when I went down there he apparently recognized my name because he said, sarcastically, "What would you like me to do for you, exactly?" I explained the situation again and he blew me off saying it was worth what it was worth. I laughed and said, sounds good, I will sell it to you for 80% of assessed value and I will still be nearly doubling what we paid for the property. (When we bought it, it needed a TON of work.)

    Ending up talking to one of the secretaries who helped me get an appeals process started that did eventually correct the assessment.
     

    Leo

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    30   0   0
    Mar 3, 2011
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    Lafayette, IN
    When I first moved into this house in 2012 a neighbor said a big bald guy in an SUV was around my property, inside my fence, etc. He left no calling card, didn't call ahead or anything. I found out he worked for the insurance company and was taking pictures for the property insurance carrier.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
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    Southside Indy
    Tagging for interest, I'm curious to see what resolution you get. I've had my share of annoying experiences with the assessor myself. For some reason when we bought our house they had it and the land assessed for over double what we'd paid for it. And by comparison it wasn't nearly the largest or nicest house on the street, all of which were assessed at less than what they assessed our property for. I made a couple of calls to the assessor's office and never really got any satisfaction. Eventually when I went down there he apparently recognized my name because he said, sarcastically, "What would you like me to do for you, exactly?" I explained the situation again and he blew me off saying it was worth what it was worth. I laughed and said, sounds good, I will sell it to you for 80% of assessed value and I will still be nearly doubling what we paid for the property. (When we bought it, it needed a TON of work.)

    Ending up talking to one of the secretaries who helped me get an appeals process started that did eventually correct the assessment.

    Maybe this is fallout from the property tax cap. Taxes capped at 1% of assessed value? No problem. We'll just raise the assessed value!
     

    Henry

    Shooter
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    Feb 18, 2014
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    Athome
    I despise bastards like those you described in your OP. Insurance folks can be just as bad.

    You sound to me like a guy that could use a couple of well trained guard / defense dogs. I'm partial to German Shepherds myself. Great family companions and more than willing and able to keep bastards like you described away until they arrange an appointment like everybody else.
     

    Leadeye

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    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
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    .
    The great thing about living on a road that looks like it goes to Aintry is they way it discourages all but the most militant.:)
     

    mom45

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    Nov 10, 2013
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    My understanding from discussions I have had with our assessor, is that they can come on the property and measure buildings and such as long as there is no gate at the end of the driveway. If there is a gate and a no trespassing sign, they usually use GIS and measure building sizes from the satellite photos. If you wish to challenge anything they have down relating to what is INSIDE a structure, you have to allow them access in order to do an appeal. I believe they are supposed to leave something on the door that they have been out, but I don't know if they always do it. Some friends of ours were upset because they had a note on their door that the assessor had been out while they were at work.

    I had to fight with ours as they had our wood stoves listed a fireplaces due to our masonry chimney. They are taxed differently and fireplaces are taxed more. They had some other incorrect information as well. At that time, we had a stupid assessor who was afraid to get out of his car because I had about 40 guineas that were chasing his car and his grandma used to have "those mean birds" and he was sure he would get attacked so he let me look over his paperwork and advise him as to what was incorrect. We have a different guy now. He is not afraid of guineas apparently as they were out in the last year or two and reassessed and decided my basement is now 100% finished even though it is a painted concrete floor and only half of it is actually drywalled and used as daily living space. The rest is concrete walls and laundry/furnace/hot water heater, etc. area.
     

    mrjarrell

    Shooter
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    Jun 18, 2009
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    Hamilton County
    Hey, Prom! Welcome back!
    From what you posted it looks like they can come out and do their thing, (inside and out, apparently) but it also looks like they should be giving you notice. Coming out twice without notice would seem to be a no no, but when has that ever stopped a tax man? I would call and lodge a complain, (for all the good it will do) and let them schedule a time when you, and not your minor children, are home. Cite the relevant statute to them if necessary. They've likely been breaking the law all along, simply because they can and there's likely no penalty for them.
     

    mrjarrell

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    Henry

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    Yeah, and doing that will likely land your ass in jail. That assessor WILL call the cops and they will arrest you for setting booby traps that could maim or kill. This is a really dumb idea.

    Meh.

    Blank shells directed away from the tripped point of entry are not going to maim anything.

    Besides, if the bastard was not breaking the law through ignoring the no trespass posts, the trips would not be triggered anyhow.

    Signs are good.
    Dogs are good.
    Noise makers are good.
    I like redundancy.
    Anyone ignoring all of that must be intending to do harm.

    The bastard should schedule an appointment.
     
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    Henry

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    Do you know who Brandon Lee is?

    Did you ever watch Cover Up the television series on CBS? Do you know why you will never see a reunion show?

    I know who Brandon Lee WAS.

    Firing a squib at a target isn't exactly the same thing as firing a blank away is it.

    These devices feature no projectile and no barrel. Perhaps you are not familiar with them.

    They are essentially large firecrackers.

    Go with the shepherds. Like I said, they are very good guard/defense dogs and make great companions for the family.

    Clearly the guy has no regard for the no trespass signs and lacks even enough respect for the property owner to make arrangements.
     
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    GodFearinGunTotin

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    Mar 22, 2011
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    Mitchell
    I know who Brandon Lee WAS.

    Firing a squib at a target isn't exactly the same thing as firing a blank away is it.

    These devices feature no projectile and no barrel. Perhaps you are not familiar with them.

    They are essentially large firecrackers.

    Go with the shepherds. Like I said, they are very good guard/defense dogs and make great companions for the family.

    Our plant used propane cannons to scare away pigeons. It didn't work but when they go off and you're not expecting it, it will get your attention. They don't fire a projectile or anything but they sound like they ought to be.
     

    Henry

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    Feb 18, 2014
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    Our plant used propane cannons to scare away pigeons. It didn't work but when they go off and you're not expecting it, it will get your attention. They don't fire a projectile or anything but they sound like they ought to be.

    Yep...and they are reliable in a wide variety of environmental conditions if you're willing to spend the money.
     
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