Property Tax Task Force Formed - The Property Tax Task Force will have its first meeting in April 24, 2008 close to Chicago's O'Hare Airport from 11:00 AM - 3:30 PM.
At the initial meeting the following items will be addressed:
- Scope and structure of task force
- Pending legislation that has the potential to significantly shift the property tax burden from individuals to businesses in the taxing state (e.g. Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington)
- Fair valuation procedures
- Fair appeal procedures to contest property tax values
- Creation of a scorecard to rate states property tax administration practices
- Prioritize states which seek law/policy changes
- Issues with recent legislative proposals that have passed or are pending.
The Task Force is also seeking examples of both good and bad property tax administrative practices. It's also not too late to join the Task Force. COST members willing to share administrative horror stories or who would like to join the Task Force should contact Fred Nicely. The Task Force is chaired by Doug Turner, Director of Property Taxes for General Electric and staffed by COST's Tax Counsel, Fred Nicely.
Unclaimed Property Task Force Formed - As a result of increasingly aggressive audit activity in the area of unclaimed property by some states, COST is reviving its Unclaimed Property Task Force and is looking for interested COST members to volunteer. The Task Force will evaluate the national landscape, and develop and execute an action plan to address many of the troubling national trends in unclaimed property. COST staff will also maintain a distribution list designed to facilitate dissemination of current legislation, judicial developments and other pertinent newsworthy items.
The Unclaimed Property Tax Task Force held its first meeting on April 8, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. The agenda covered the following items:
- Discussion of an unclaimed property state-by-state Report Card
- Discussion of potential policy statements
- Discussion of advocacy priorities
- Potential federal legislation
- The status of legislation pending in various state legislatures
COST members who would like to join the Task Force should contact Jana Malone. The Task Force is chaired by Frank Julian of Macy's and staffed by COST's Staff Counsel, Jana Malone.