Pennsylvania's property valuation system is, arguably, the least regulated in the country.
Nearly all state governments either handle valuations themselves or require cities or counties to do them at regular intervals between one and 12 years, according to a survey by the International Association of Assessing Officers.
New York requires municipalities to maintain assessments within a certain range market value.
Just four states do not regulate in this manner.
California prescribes a 2 percent maximum annual increase (potentially offset by complex exemption rules) in assessed values.
There aren't as many rules in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. But Delaware verifies sales data. So does New Jersey, which also audits county assessor's offices, according to a report by the Allegheny Institute.
Pennsylvania counties can wait as long as they want, without answering to anyone, absent court intervention (there have been at least seven such cases since 1990:Allegheny, Chester, Erie, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, Washington).
Read the full storyat Keystone Crossroads' website. Keystone Crossroads is a new statewide public media initiative reporting on the challenges facing Pennsylvania's cities. WPSU is a participating station.
