Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 88 - Consolidated County Assessment
Section 8851 - Board of assessment appeals and board of assessment revision


(a) Establishment and membership.--
(1) Counties of the second class A and third class shall, and counties of the fourth through eighth classes may, establish a board to be known as the board of assessment appeals, which shall be composed of three members. The members of the board shall be appointed by the county commissioners to serve for terms of four years each. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by appointment by the county commissioners for the unexpired terms. The salary of the members of the board shall be fixed by the salary board of the county.
(1.1) The county commissioners may, on or after the first organizational meeting occurring after the effective date of this paragraph and every four years thereafter, elect to appoint board members under paragraph (1) for terms of two years each or four years each.
(1.2) The county commissioners shall be prohibited from appointing a member to the board who is an employee of or contractor with the county assessment office or is a party to any contract with the county assessment office other than one that may be created for service as a board member.
(2) In each county of the fourth through eighth classes that has not created a separate board of assessment appeals in accordance with paragraph (1), there is established a board of assessment revision. The county commissioners shall serve as a board of assessment revision. The county commissioner holding the oldest certificate of election shall be the chairman.
(b) Powers and duties of board.--The board has the following powers and duties:
(1) Appoint, with the approval of the county commissioners, clerks, engineers and other employees as necessary.
(2) Promulgate regulations as provided in section 8852 (relating to regulations and training of boards).
(3) Hear and determine appeals, as provided in section 8844 (relating to notices, appeals and certification of values).
(4) Establish the form of the assessment roll as provided in section 8841 (relating to assessment roll and interim revisions).
(5) Prepare annually and submit to the county commissioners an estimate of the expense to be incurred incidental to the carrying out of the provisions of this chapter.
(6) Establish a permanent system of records as required by section 8834 (relating to assessment records system).
(c) Expenses to be paid by county.--The county commissioners shall appropriate annually to the board funds necessary for the payment of salaries, wages and other expenses incurred in carrying out the duties imposed upon the board and its employees by this chapter.
(d) Organization of board meetings; action by majority.--
(1) The members of the board shall meet and organize as a board at the same time and place as the county commissioners meet for the purpose of organizing. The board shall meet from time to time at the call of the chairman or of any member, upon personal notice to each member. No action shall be taken by the board except by a majority vote of all the members of the board, and all actions of the board shall be recorded in writing.
(2) The county commissioners shall appoint a chairman of the board unless the county commissioners serve as the board of assessment revision, in which case the commissioner holding the oldest certificate of election shall be the chairman.
(Oct. 24, 2018, P.L.1139, No.155, eff. Jan. 1, 2020)

2018 Amendment. Act 155 amended subsec. (b)(2) and added subsec. (a)(1.1) and (1.2).
Cross References. Section 8851 is referred to in section 8802 of this title.

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Title 53 - MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY

Chapter 88 - Consolidated County Assessment

Extra - Chapter Notes

Section 8801 - Short title and scope of chapter

Section 8802 - Definitions

Section 8803 - Excluded provisions

Section 8804 - Construction of chapter

Section 8811 - Subjects of local taxation

Section 8812 - Exemptions from taxation

Section 8813 - Temporary tax exemption for residential construction

Section 8814 - Temporary assessment change for real estate subject to sewer connection ban order

Section 8815 - Catastrophic loss

Section 8816 - Clerical and mathematical errors

Section 8817 - Changes in assessed valuation

Section 8818 - Assessment of lands divided by boundary lines

Section 8819 - Separate assessment of coal and surface

Section 8820 - Assessment of real estate subject to ground rent or mortgage

Section 8821 - Assessment of mobile homes and manufactured homes

Section 8822 - Taxing districts lying in more than one county and choice of assessment ratio

Section 8823 - Limitation on tax increase after countywide reassessment

Section 8831 - Chief assessor

Section 8832 - Subordinate assessors

Section 8833 - Solicitor

Section 8834 - Assessment records system

Section 8841 - Assessment roll and interim revisions

Section 8842 - Valuation of property

Section 8843 - Spot reassessment

Section 8844 - Notices, appeals and certification of values

Section 8845 - Service of notices

Section 8846 - Notice of changes given to taxing authorities

Section 8847 - Application of assessment changed as result of appeal

Section 8848 - Special provisions relating to countywide revisions of assessments

Section 8851 - Board of assessment appeals and board of assessment revision

Section 8852 - Regulations and training of boards

Section 8853 - Auxiliary appeal boards

Section 8854 - Appeals to court

Section 8855 - Appeals by taxing districts

Section 8861 - Submission of permit and substantial improvement information to the county assessment office and civil penalty

Section 8862 - Recorder of deeds to furnish record of conveyances, compensation

Section 8862.1 - Grantees of real property to register deed with chief assessor

Section 8863 - Assessment of property of decedent's estates

Section 8864 - Assessment of personal property

Section 8865 - Assessment of occupations

Section 8866 - Limitation on rates of specific taxes

Section 8867 - Prohibition on certain levies

Section 8868 - Optional use by cities