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Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending and supplementing Article II, Section 207.07 (B) of the Administrative Code of the County of Allegheny, to provide prohibitions for contracted hearing officers retained by the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review.
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Whereas, the Administrative Code of the County of Allegheny permits the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review to contract with independent hearing officers to dispose of appeals before the board; and
Whereas, the Administrative Code of the County of Allegheny requires certain disclosures by the independent hearing officers upon appointment as such with the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review; and
Whereas, certain hearing officers, simultaneous with their commission to the board as such, represent taxpayers before other contracted hearing officers; and
Whereas, this practice constitutes at the minimum an appearance of a conflict of interest, if not a direct conflict; and
Whereas, the County seeks to end the practice of independent hearing officers appealing on behalf of appellants while they are under contract with the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review.
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1 Article II, Section 207.07 (B) of the Administrative Code of the County of Allegheny is amended and supplemented to read as follows:
B. Contracts, if necessary to fulfill its duties, with hearing officers to hear cases of appeals from assessments in accordance with the Assessment Appeals Standards and Practices Ordinance Sections as provided in Chapter 209 of this Administrative Code, and in which case such hearing officer shall:
1. In the case of hearings related to commercial and complex multi-family properties, be State Certified General Appraisers or have the equivalent professional appraisal expertise;
2. In the case of hearings related to residential...
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