§8854. Appeals to court.

(a) Court of common pleas.--

(1) Following an appeal to the board, any appellant, property owner or affected taxing district may appeal the board's decision to the court of common pleas in the county in which the property is located in accordance with 42 Pa.C.S. § 5571(b) (relating to appeals generally) and local rules of court.

(2) In any appeal of an assessment the court shall make the following determinations:

(i) The market value as of the date the appeal was filed before the board. In the event subsequent years have been made a part of the appeal, the court shall determine the market value for each year.

(ii) The common level ratio which was applicable in the original appeal to the board. In the event subsequent years have been made a part of the appeal, the court shall determine the applicable common level ratio for each year published by the State Tax Equalization Board on or before July 1 of the year prior to the tax year being appealed.

(3) The court, after determining the market value of the property pursuant to paragraph (2)(i), shall then apply the established predetermined ratio to that value unless the corresponding common level ratio determined pursuant to paragraph (2)(ii) varies by more than 15% from the established predetermined ratio, in which case the court shall apply the applicable common level ratio to the corresponding market value of the property.

(4) If a county has effected a countywide revision of assessments which was used to develop the common level ratio last determined by the State Tax Equalization Board, the following shall apply:

(i) If a county changes its assessment base by applying a change in predetermined ratio, the court shall apply the percentage change between the existing predetermined ratio and the newly established predetermined ratio to the county's common level ratio to establish the certified revised common level ratio for the year in which the assessment was revised.

(ii) If the county performs a countywide revision of assessments by revaluing the properties and applying an established predetermined ratio, the court shall utilize the established predetermined ratio instead of the common level ratio for the year in which the assessment was revised and until the common level ratio determined by the State Tax Equalization Board reflects the revaluing of properties resulting from the revision of assessments.

(5) If a taxpayer or taxing district has filed an appeal from an assessment, so long as the appeal is pending before the board or before a court on appeal from the determination of the board, as provided by statute, the appeal will also be taken as an appeal by the appellant on the subject property for any valuation for any assessment subsequent to the filing of an appeal with the board and prior to the determination of the appeal by the board or the court. This provision shall be applicable to all pending appeals as well as future appeals.

(6) In any appeal by a taxable person from an action by the board, the board shall have the power and duty to present a prima facie case in support of its assessment, to cross-examine witnesses, to discredit or impeach any evidence presented by the taxable person, to prosecute or defend an appeal in any appellate court and to take any other necessary steps to defend its valuation and assessment.

(7) Appeals to a court of common pleas may be referred by the court to a board of arbitrators under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 73 Subch. C (relating to judicial arbitration) or to a board of viewers under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. E (relating to boards of viewers) in accordance with the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure.

(8) The cost of the appeal shall be apportioned or fixed as the court may direct.

(9) Nothing in this subsection shall:

(i) Prevent an appellant from appealing a base-year valuation without reference to ratio.

(ii) Be construed to abridge, alter or limit the right of an appellant to assert a challenge under section 1 of Article VIII of the Constitution of Pennsylvania.

(b) Appeals to Commonwealth Court or Supreme Court.--The board, or any party to the appeal to the court of common pleas, may appeal from the judgment, order or decree of the court of common pleas.

(c) Payment of taxes pending appeal.--An appeal shall not prevent the collection of taxes based on the assessment appealed. If the assessment is reduced, then any overpayment of taxes together with interest at a rate pursuant to section 8843 (relating to spot reassessment) from the date of overpayment shall be returned to the person or persons who paid the taxes. The appellant may protest the taxes due. The protest must be in writing addressed to the tax collector. It shall be the duty of the tax collector to notify the taxing districts of any payment under protest by delivering to them a copy of the protest. The taxing districts shall be required to segregate 25% of the amount of the tax paid in a separate account and shall not be permitted to expend any portion of any segregated amount unless it first petitions the court, alleging that the segregated amount is unjustly withheld. The court shall have power to order the taxing district to use a portion of any segregated amount as the court deems reasonably free from dispute, and the remainder of the segregated amount shall be held segregated by the taxing district, pending the final disposition of the appeal. Upon final disposition of the appeal, the amount of the overpayment found to be due the appellant as a refund shall also be a legal setoff or credit against any future taxes assessed against the appellant by the same taxing district. If a taxing district alleges that it is unable to credit all of the refund due in one year, the court, upon application of either party, shall determine over what period of time the refund due shall be made and in what manner.

(Oct. 24, 2012, P.L.1286, No.160, eff. 60 days)

Notation

2012 Amendment.  Act 160 amended subsec. (a)(1).

Cross References.  Section 8854 is referred to in section 8855 of this title.