I'll take my Viking with me...she has a way of distracting the male species..
Go to the board of review and demand a tax reduction due to county induced backwater caused by run of steam flow reduction reducing land value.
Take picks of submerged areas not caused by spring flooding. Spring flooding can be included too of course , but easier for the county to defend as beyond thier control.
They have to compare your property to an equivalent one in the area/county to justify tax rate. So have them show you a property the county restricted a stream/creek on, and how it's value increased vs decreased.
Assessor who raised my taxes when I bought the property couldn't even find it on a map when I went to the board of review.
Like you I am not patient at times.
But the board of review is not the county..... They were helpful in exchange for my politeness. Though I did ask the assessor what the swamp was worth. We debated what constitutes value. What I paid for it? What he says it's worth?
What he is willing to buy it from me for?
I've offered other boards in another review to buy my place for what they claimed it was worth. Interesting faces and responses...L.o.l...
Had a discussion about the drain on my hunting property. Not a complaint as much as it's effect on value. It's a drain. A controlled wetland so to speak. Off limits to my tampering. Does that add value ?
Not sure if that is why the eroding road was repaired when new culvert was installed. They could have closed the road at the drain permanently and I'd have cheered.
Any homes on the short dirt road could still be accessed from either end.
But hey , my taxes were reduced when I wrote what I valued the land at ( and why ) on the form sent to the county. The board had to sign off on it too , but I don't know the effect of that.
Again , the board of review were/are good folks. Without thier patient defining the terrain of what was being dealt with , I would not have known how the review system works. Despite my having been to other reviews elsewhere.
There wil lbe people there who can tell you how to address the culvert issue as well. In person.
They are local folks. And thier goal is not to have you not enjoy a reasonable civility of services in your township.
In exchange for you paying taxes. And adhering to township rules/zoning ect..
As well as being a civil member of your local society.
