The Revaluation Train Wreck Has Arrived

This letter was sent to Scarsdale10583 for publication by Mayra Kirkendall-Rodriguez:
A number of us have been analyzing the Scarsdale 2016 revaluation and have found significant flaws in how the revaluation process was conducted and how the model was created. Village management has not been transparent with the community as to how the revaluation was subcontracted. For months, Scarsdale resident, Robert Berg has correctly been highlighting the lack of transparency of in the revaluation process.

Model risk management was extremely weak. The consultant did not disclose to the public the inputs and assumptions to the model, what calculations were chosen and how they were done, and whether the model was tested and backtested. There is no evidence that an independent validator validated the assumptions and data; there is also no proof that someone independent of the whole process audited the model. All of this is essential to creating and implementing a model.

If Scarsdale residents believe that they have been erroneously assessed, please sign this petition.

Additionally, here is the link to all the documents that you need to grieve your taxes. You can make an appointment to contest the revaluation; there are various time slots on June 21st.

Having this type of opacity will lead to a tremendous uncertainty each year as to how much taxpayers have to pay. This uncertainty will adversely impact our property values. Who wants to move to a city where they have no idea how taxes are being assessed fairly? Uncertainty of future tax receipts will also make it difficult for the village and the Scarsdale school administration to forecast properly what their income and expenses can be.