Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Times Reports Porter Regional Hospital's Appeal Could Backfire

From the Northwest Indiana Times:

An attempt by Porter Regional Hospital to reduce the first assessed value of its new building at Ind. 49 and U.S. 6 may wind up costing them more.
After the hospital failed Tuesday in a last-minute attempt to withdraw the appeal, Porter County Assessor Jon Snyder argued the 2012 assessment in question should be increased from $34 million to $117 million.
His request and a second appeal of the former hospital building in Valparaiso were taken under consideration by the Porter County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.
Snyder said the state model, which calls for assessing hospitals as general office space, failed taxpayers by under valuing the new property in Liberty Township when it was 90 percent complete and yet unopened.
He presented members of the PTABOA with various news articles, including a couple quoting Porter Hospital Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Nalli that place the value of the new site at $210 million and $225 million.
Nalli also signed off on a value of $130 million for the new site, according to documents submitted that relate to the 10-year tax abatement granted to the new hospital by the Porter County Council.
The proposed increase was immediately opposed by Donald Feicht Jr., vice president of taxes at Uzelac & Associates, who accused Snyder of singling out the hospital and improperly varying from state assessing guidelines using nothing more than hearsay.
...
Also Tuesday, the hospital appealed the $22.3 million assessment in 2012 of the former hospital building at 814 LaPorte Ave. in Valparaiso, which has since been torn down.