COUNTY News:

The New Mexico Property Tax Division will hold Valuation Protest Hearings Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, pursuant to section 7-38-27 of the New Mexico State Statutes.

The hearings, which will be held remotely, are open to the public. Anyone wishing to observe these hearings should contact the Property Tax Division directly for instructions at 505.827.0870 or email NMTRD.Protests@state.nm.us.

Individuals with questions related to the hearing process are asked to contact the Los Alamos County Assessor’s Office at 505.662.8030 or via email at Assessor@lacnm.us.

Hearings before the Valuation Protest Board are part of a process for property owners to challenge a County Assessor’s valuation of taxable property, the classification of property, or denial of exemptions or other tax-saving opportunities. There is no cost to property owners to engage in this process but hiring representation is allowed.

Owners of property that may be subject to taxation receive a Notice of Valuation (NOV) in April each year and have until April 30 to challenge findings. County Assessor Ken Milder encourages property owners to contact his office with questions and they are offered the opportunity to protest NOV findings when questions cannot be resolved by April 30.

“The goal is to have fair and equitable valuations,” Milder said, “Over-valuing property is unfair to the property owner; under-valuing is unfair to all other property owners who would pick up the additional burden of taxation.”

The independent, three-member Valuation Protest Board is chaired by a representative from the Property Tax Division and two Los Alamos citizens selected by the Los Alamos County Council.