The Board of Assessment Review has recommended a partial property tax abatement for 72 Vine St. following the homeowner’s appeal at its Sept. 8 meeting.
KRT Appraisal, contracted by the Town, assessed the property at $1.995 million in the townwide evaluation of 2025.
In his abatement application, homeowner Mark Zimmer argued the assessment did not “reflect the requirements of just value and uniformity across the tax roll.” He cited a 41.6% increase in his property’s assessed value, compared with an approximately 13%–15% median increase townwide.
Zimmer requested that the assessment be reduced to $1.6 million.
Verna Sharpe, the town’s assessing agent, denied the request in a May 2026 letter addressed to Zimmer.
“Based on the information provided with the abatement application and the analyses undertaken by myself and KRT Appraisal for the revaluation, no abatement has been granted,” Sharpe wrote.
Zimmer then appealed the decision to the Board of Assessment Review. The board’s recommendation on Sept. 8 of a partial abatement will be presented to the Town Council at an upcoming meeting, and final approval rests with the council.
Responding to a Reporter request for the minutes of the review board’s meeting, board Chair Paul Steinhauer said the procedure requires approval of the minutes in a follow-up meeting before being released to the public. The board will complete the approval within 10 days of the Sept. 8 meeting, he said.
