The owners of two contiguous commercial buildings in downtown New Canaan are challenging the town’s decision to forgo an appeal hearing following a tax revaluation that the plaintiffs describe as “grossly excessive, disproportionate and unlawful.”
Numbers 62 and 64 Main St.—antique mixed-use buildings located just south of the fire station (the former Knights of Columbus building and the next one across the alley, which houses Ching’s Table among other tenants)—are owned by a limited liability company whose managing principal is Stephen Lawrence, president of Investment Capital Partners Ltd., according to local tax and Connecticut Secretary of the State records.
The properties were assessed at $1,150,170 (62 Main St.) and $1,465,800 (64) in a recent revaluation. The Board of Assessment Appeals’ decision to forgo appeal hearings leaves the valuations unchanged.
According to a complaint filed Tuesday by attorney Michael D. Reiner of Farmington-based Greene Law P.C., the assessments are “manifestly excessive, unlawful and could not have been arrived at except by disregarding the statutes for determining the taxation and valuation of the Premises.”
Though the property owner “appealed to the Board of Assessment Appeals of the Town of New Canaan claiming to be aggrieved by the action of the Assessor and offered to be sworn and answer all questions concerning the property,” still, “the Board elected not to conduct an appeal hearing related to this commercial, industrial, utility or apartment property with an assessed value in excess of one million dollars,” Reiner said in the complaint.
Town records show that appeals scheduled for March 13 for both properties were “dismissed” by the Board.
The lawsuit seeks a reduction in the value of the properties to their “true and actual value,” an attendant reduction in taxes, a refund of overpayments and interest and “[s]uch and other relief as the Court deems just proper and appropriate.”
What is the mill rate for this kind of commercial building? I’ve heard of some very excessive tax bills, so high that very few businesses have high enough margins to cover the excessive rent. Especially in this new world of Amazon and big bow with loss leaders.