City of Newton Assessment Administration Press Release October 28, 2008  Fiscal Year 2009 Assessments are Available for Review   The Newton Board of Assessors announces that the fiscal year 2009 assessed values are available for review.    As required by Massachusetts state law, the fiscal year 2009 values reflect fair market value as of January 1, 2008. Assessments are based on sales of similar properties in calendar year 2007.  Property owners who wish to determine that their values are equitable, may research sales in their neighborhood on the city's web site. Sale information and the new assessed values are available on the city's web site at www.ci.newton.ma.us.   Computers with public internet access are available at the Newton Library located at 330 Homer Street and at the Assessors Department on the first floor of City Hall at 1000 Commonwealth Avenue.  Property owners who wish to discuss the assessment process and sales activity in calendar 2007 can come into the Assessing Department on the first floor in City Hall.  The Assessors’ Office is open from Monday through Friday from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and on Tuesday evening until 8:00 P.M. A tax classification hearing, at which the Board of Aldermen will vote to approve the new tax rates for fiscal year 2009, will be held on November 12, 2008.  Tax bills will be issued in late December.  Property owners who feel that the assessed value of their property does not represent fair market value have from the time the tax bills are issued in late December until Monday, February 2, 2009, to file an abatement with the Board of Assessors on an approved form.  The forms will be available in the Assessors Office and on the city’s web site from the time the tax bills are mailed in late December until February 2, 2009.  Property owners who file for abatements should provide a list of sales of similar properties to their own that occurred in 2007 to support their argument that the assessment does not represent fair market value.     View the Assessor's Database