Berge Ford, Inc. v. Maricopa County

838 P.2d 822, 172 Ariz. 483
CourtArizona Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 11, 1992
DocketNos. TX 91-00932, TX 91-01352
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 838 P.2d 822 (Berge Ford, Inc. v. Maricopa County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berge Ford, Inc. v. Maricopa County, 838 P.2d 822, 172 Ariz. 483 (Ark. Super. Ct. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

MORONEY, Judge.

The Issue Presented and How It Comes To The Court

Both of the above captioned cases are property tax appeals brought to the Court pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-246.1 In both cases, the Taxpayer has, in an earlier proceeding, challenged the valuation or classification of the same property for the same tax year as is the property and year which is the subject of the cases here under review.

In Berge Ford, the subject property was classified in class four by the Assessor pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-162, and valued as vacant land. The Taxpayer appealed the valuation to the Assessor pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-221(E). In its appeal to the Assessor, Berge Ford did not challenge the description of the property as vacant land. The Assessor did not reduce the valuation, and the Taxpayer timely appealed to the Board of Equalization pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-241.01(A).

The Board of Equalization rendered a decision on the Taxpayer’s valuation appeal on May 7, 1991. The Taxpayer did not appeal the decision of the County Board of Equalization. On October 29, 1991, the Taxpayer filed the appeal now before the Court. In this appeal, the Taxpayer asserts that the Assessor made an error in “classification” because he did not provide the subject property an agricultural classification pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-167.

In Sierra Tucson, there are eight parcels of property. Four of the eight parcels are the subject matter of another property tax appeal, filed earlier, and presently pending in this Court. Sierra Tucson, Inc. v. Pima County, TX 91-00357. In this Opinion, no decision is made with respect to the four parcels not involved in the earlier filed case.

In their Complaint herein, the Sierra Tucson Taxpayers allege that the “Plaintiffs’ property has been over-valued and erroneously assessed.” Complaint and Notice of Appeal at 3. In the other case involving the same property, and tax year, the Taxpayers, through a different attorney, have alleged that the properties have been given an erroneous classification.

In both of these cases the taxing authorities have moved to dismiss the Complaint. The Court agrees with the government. In both cases, the motion to dismiss will be granted.

[485]*485The issue presented to the Court in these two appeals is whether a taxpayer can appeal “valuation” or “classification” independently of the other, and still preserve its right to file a separate appeal on the other issue. The Court holds that a taxpayer cannot so split its cause of action.

The Present Statutory Scheme Does Not Contemplate Separate Appeals

Arizona imposes a tax on property. There are four elements in the formula by which the property tax is measured: classification, valuation, assessment ratio, and tax rate.

Although some property in Arizona is assessed by the Department of Revenue, most property is assessed by a county assessor.2 All of the property involved in the cases under review was assessed by a county assessor. When a county assessor assesses property, he or she determines classification, valuation, and the assessment ratio. In the final step of assessment, the tax rate is collectively determined by the governing bodies of the various taxing authorities which levy property taxes. A.R.S. Title 42, Chapter 2, Articles 2 and 4.

In performing his or her function, the assessor applies certain criteria to the facts as she or he finds them, and thus effects classification and valuation. The criteria which the assessor applies are derived from applicable statutes, guidelines of the Department of Revenue, and policy from the assessor’s own office. The statutory framework which provides for the assessment of property contemplates that the assessor will exercise much discretion in deciding classification and valuation. Once classification and valuation have been established, however, the assessor has little latitude in applying the assessment ratio. The implementation of this element is a straightforward application of A.R.S. § 42-227(C).

Taxation is a taking of property by government. If government is going to seek to take a taxpayer s property, constitutional due process requires that the taxpayer be given an opportunity for a hearing before an impartial tribunal. In Arizona, for property taxes, the impartial tribunal is found in the administrative appeal process. Seaftrst Corp. v. Arizona Dep’t of Revenue, 172 Ariz. 54, 833 P.2d 725 (Tax 1992).

Subject to the constitutional requirement of a fair hearing, a state can establish any procedure it chooses to provide a taxpayer its right to due process. County of Pima v. State Dep’t of Revenue, 114 Ariz. 275, 560 P.2d 793 (1977). For persons whose property is subject to a tax assessment, Arizona has chosen to provide a series of administrative appeals. For property assessed by a county assessor, the first level of appeal is to the assessor himself. A.R.S. § 42-221(E). Subsequent administrative appeals are to the County Board of Equalization and, from there, to the State Board of Tax Appeals. A.R.S. §§ 42-241.01(A), 42-245(A).

The appeals, however, are not from the imposition of the property tax, but rather, are from the application by the assessing authority of the discretionary elements by which the tax is measured. These elements are classification and valuation. In analyzing the issue presented, it is important to keep in mind that classification and valuation are not independent of one another. Valuation is determined by classification. Classification is a necessary first step to valuation.

The Court holds that the relevant Arizona statutes provide for only one appeal from the acts of the assessor in performing her part of the assessment process. A separate appeal for classification and a separate appeal for valuation are not authorized.

A.R.S. § 42-221 is a long statute which sets forth the assessor’s duties in the assessment of property in his or her county. It also provides for an appeal to the asses[486]*486sor. This is the appeal which starts the administrative property tax appeal process. The first two sentences of A.R.S. § 42-221(E) read as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
838 P.2d 822, 172 Ariz. 483, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berge-ford-inc-v-maricopa-county-ariztaxct-1992.