Borough Assembly extends reassessment deadline for McKinley Fire

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly has voted to extend the period for property tax reassessment applications for properties damaged by the McKinley Fire.  The fire, which started on August 17^th, destroyed fifty-one homes and about eighty other structures.

Brad Pickett, the borough’s assessor, said at Tuesday night’s meeting that he was still expecting more than twenty applications that have not yet been turned in.  According to the old language of the ordinance, property owners have sixty days from the start of a fire to apply for a reassessment.  That date would be October 17^th.

The ordinance, which was proposed by Assembly Member Tam Boeve (BO-vee), changes that application period to 120 days, which extends the window into mid-December.

When a property owner applies for reassessment, they will be put in line to have their property value adjusted for tax purposes.  Brad Pickett says their tax bills will then be adjusted and prorated from the date of the fire.