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1. Who can file a grievance?

Anyone who owns real property in the City of Schenectady can file a grievance application with the Assessment Bureau.

2. Can someone file a grievance application on my behalf and represent me at Grievance Day?

Yes, with your written permission, someone may file an application on your behalf as well as represent you at the Grievance Day hearing. There is a place on the grievance application where you can sign stating that you give permission to someone to represent you. It can be anyone from your son, sister, or next door neighbor to an attorney of your choice. As long as you have given permission for them to do so, they may be your representative.

3. How do I fill out my grievance application; can someone from the Assessment Bureau help me or fill out the application for me?

Unfortunately, the staff of the Assessment Bureau cannot fill out the application for you. When you grieve your assessment the grievance is against the Assessment Bureau, therefore the burden is on you, the taxpayer, to determine how the application is to be filled out and what information is needed to plead your case.

A staff member from the Assessment Bureau may assist you by providing the grievance instructions from the Office of Real Property Tax Services (ORPTS), answering general questions related to the grievance period, or photocopying information from the tentative assessment roll. Please note that photocopies can be made for $.25 a page in the office but the tentative assessment roll can also be found on the City’s website.

4. Is there anything special that I should know about the grievance application?

It is important to understand the difference between the full market value and the assessed value of your property. The City of Schenectady does not have homestead vs. non-homestead tax rates. You may not grieve the loss of an exemption unless you had applied by taxable status day (March 1) and were denied the exemption.

If you had an extenuating medical situation that prevented you from applying by the March 1 deadline (for Enhanced STAR exemption only), please ask a member of the Bureau of Assessment about your situation. Please make sure to read the directions thoroughly before preparing your application. The instructions for the grievance application can be found on the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance website.

(ORPTS) website.

5. What happens after I file my grievance application; should I make an appointment with the Assessor to discuss my assessed value?

A grievance application is filed with the Assessment Bureau and it is a grievance against the work done by staff members in the Bureau. The Assessor will not be able make any changes to the tentative roll once it is printed.

In order to make sure the process is fair and equitable, taxpayers will have the opportunity to speak with the Board of Assessment Review on May 23rd, 2023, which is also called Grievance Day. The Board of Assessment Review is a panel of public officers independently appointed by the Mayor and the Schenectady City Council. The members of the Board of Assessment Review provide a system of checks and balances for the work of the Assessment Bureau.

When you turn your completed and signed grievance application in to the Assessment Bureau, you will receive a receipt stating that we received the application as well as a numbered ticket allowing you or your representative to attend the hearing on Grievance Day.

6. What happens on Grievance Day?

The Board of Assessment Review will meet from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24th with a 1 hour break for lunch and for dinner. The Board members will hear any and all of the grievances that are filed with the Assessment Bureau from May 1st until the end of that day.

Petitioners will be given 3 minutes to present their case to the Board of Assessment Review. There may be a brief question and answer period with the Board after the case has been presented. At this point, you have completed your role in the grievance process.

7. Do I have to attend Grievance Day on Tuesday, May 23rd; will it not impact my case or will it hurt my case if I do not attend?

No, you do not have to attend Grievance Day, but it does give you an opportunity to plead your case, in person, with the panel making the determination in your situation. Not attending the Grievance Day hearing will not have any bearing on the outcome of your case. You will not be made of aware of the outcome of your case at this time.

8. What happens when Grievance Day is over?

The Board of Assessment Review will take all of the grievance applications, information and notes presented to them during the hearing and spend several weeks deliberating these cases.