Assessor and board of assessment review
Property assessment is performed by one appointed Assessor serving a six-year term (note that the Assessor also serves as assessor for the Village of Rhinebeck and the Rhinebeck Central School District). The Assessor is responsible for assessing the value of all real property in the Town for the purpose of calculating property taxes for the Town, the Village, and the School District. The Office also maintains property records, assessments, tax billing addresses, real property tax exemptions, and tax maps for the Town and Village of Rhinebeck. This is the place to apply for property tax exemptions, including STAR, Enhanced STAR, (for seniors) and Veterans exemptions. The Assessor is available to discuss your assessment on Open Book Days, which are typically held in May of each year at Town Hall. If you think your property is incorrectly assessed, you can appeal your assessment to the Board of Assessment Review, which is a body of volunteer residents, appointed by the Town Board, who receive and decide appeals submitted by property owners who disagree with their property assessments. The Board considers such appeals on Grievance Day, which is in May. The process for filing an appeal includes completing a short form and submitting it to the Assessor's Office. While attendance at Grievance Day is not required, it is recommended. Forms must be submitted prior to the end of Grievance hours. Property owners are advised to submit their completed form 10 business days before Grievance Day.