Property owners submitted more than 500 abatement applications, according to Assessor Pamela Davis, who was asked to appear for a second time before the City Council on Tuesday night.
Davis submitted a report to the council after several owners publicly questioned why their properties were assessed higher during a down real estate cycle.
Two weeks ago, the Board of Assessors reviewed 54 applications, 12 pertaining to penalty issues and the remainder for abatements, Davis said.
Out of the other 42 applications, the board denied 15 and the remaining 27 were given adjustments, she said.
That included, Davis said, a home at 458 Maple St. owned by Bryan Palumbo, who purchased it last summer.
When the assessment jumped from $417,200 to $642,800, Palumbo, a pizza shop owner in Taunton with a young family, said he became concerned that they would need to move.
The property was abated $100,000 to $542,800, Davis said.
By the March 1 deadline, the [...]

Original post by Michael Holtzman