Senator, Inc. v. Ada County, Board of Equalization

67 P.3d 45, 138 Idaho 566, 2003 Ida. LEXIS 49
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedApril 2, 2003
Docket27402
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 67 P.3d 45 (Senator, Inc. v. Ada County, Board of Equalization) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Senator, Inc. v. Ada County, Board of Equalization, 67 P.3d 45, 138 Idaho 566, 2003 Ida. LEXIS 49 (Idaho 2003).

Opinions

EISMANN, Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the district court affirming the tax assessment of a mobile home/manufactured home park. The taxpayer contends that to give major consideration to the actual and functional use of the park, the assessment must, as a matter of law, take into account the actual vacancy rate of the space rentals. We disagree and affirm the judgment of the district court.

I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The Senator, Inc., owns a mobile home/manufactured home park named “The Senator Retirement Community” (herein “Park”) located in Boise, Ada County, Idaho. The 18.99-acre Park was built in 1968 as a mobile home park. In 1976 Congress enacted statutes regulating the mobile housing industry. As a result, mobile housing built prior to 1976 is called a mobile home, and mobile housing built from 1976 to the present is called a manufactured home. In the early 1990’s, the Park adopted a policy of phasing out the mobile homes in the Park and only renting spaces for manufactured homes. In 1993 it also decided to restrict its renters to persons aged 55 years or older.

In 1999, the Ada County Assessor assessed the value of the Park at $2,241,883. The Park appealed to the Ada County Board of Equalization, which affirmed the 1999 assessment. The Park then appealed to the Idaho State Board of Tax Appeals, which is permitted to receive further evidence on appeal. IDAHO CODE § 63-511(2) (2000). After a hearing, the Board of Tax Appeals issued a decision and order finding that the value of the Park for assessment purposes was $1,938,500. The Park appealed the Board’s determination to the district court, which determines such appeals in a trial de novo without a jury. IDAHO CODE § 63-3812(c) (2000).

In 2000, the Ada County Assessor assessed the value of the Park at $1,938,500. The Park appealed to the Ada County Board of Equalization, which affirmed the assessment. The Park then appealed to the district court pursuant to Idaho Code § 63-511(3), which provides: “Any appeal that may be taken to the board of tax appeals may, during the same time period, be taken to the district court for the county in which the property is located.” The district court hears such appeals in the same manner as the appeal would be heard before the Board of Tax Appeals under Idaho Code § 63-3812(c).1 Riverside Dev. Co. v. Vandenberg, 137 Idaho 382, 48 P.3d 1271 (2002).

Both cases were consolidated in the district court. It heard the matter as a trial de novo and issued its memorandum decision on January 23, 2001. The Park contended that the assessed value was erroneous for two reasons. First, it failed to take into consideration the actual and functional use of the property, which the Park contends should take into consideration its space rental vacancy rate. Second, the Park contended that the assessment included an amount for business goodwill. The district court rejected these arguments. It found that the Park had failed to show by clear and convincing evidence that the assessed value of its property failed to take into consideration “the actual and functional use” as required by Idaho Code § 63-208 and that the assessed value included business goodwill in violation of Ida[569]*569ho Code § 63-602L. On March 12, 2001, the district court entered its judgment, and the Park then timely appealed.

II. ISSUES ON APPEAL

A. Must the actual vacancy rate of the manufactured home rental lots in the Park be considered when determining the actual and functional use of the Park’s real property?

B. Was the district court’s decision supported by substantial and competent evidence?

C. Did the county assessor improperly include business goodwill in valuing the Park’s real property?

III. ANALYSIS

The district court determines the appeal of the county assessor’s valuation in a trial de novo without a jury as though it were an original proceeding in that court. Riverside Dev. Co. v. Vandenberg, 137 Idaho 382, 48 P.3d 1271 (2002); IDAHO CODE § 63-3812(c) (2000). The issues before the district court are those raised below. IDAHO CODE § 63-3812(c) (2000). The county assessor’s valuation of property for purposes of taxation is presumed correct, and the burden of proof is on the taxpayer to show by clear and convincing evidence that the taxpayer is entitled to the relief claimed. Roeder Holdings, L.L.C. v. Board of Equalization of Ada County, 136 Idaho 809, 41 P.3d 237 (2001). In 1999, the assessor’s valuation of the Park was $2,241,883, but on appeal the Board of Tax Appeals reduced that assessment to $1,938,500. Because the Ada County Board of Equalization did not appeal the decision of the Board of Tax Appeals, the lower figure of $1,938,500 is considered the valuation that is presumed correct for the purposes of the proceedings in the district court. A trial court’s findings of fact will be upheld on appeal if the findings are supported by substantial and competent evidence. Enright v. Jonassen, 129 Idaho 694, 931 P.2d 1212 (1997). It is the province of the trial judge to weigh the conflicting evidence and testimony and to judge the credibility of witnesses. Id. We freely review the trial court’s conclusions of law. Id.

A. Must the Actual Vacancy Rate of the Manufactured Home Rental Lots in the Park Be Considered When Determining the Actual and Functional Use of the Park’s Real Property?

Generally, all real property subject to property taxation must be assessed annually at market value as of 12:01 a.m. on the first day of January in the year in which such property taxes are levied. IDAHO CODE § 63-205(1) (2000). Market value is to be determined according to the requirements of Title 63, Idaho Code, and rules promulgated by the Tax Commission. Id. Idaho Code § 63-201(10) (2000) defines market value as follows:

“Market value” means the amount of United States dollars or equivalent for which, in all probability, a property would exchange hands between a willing seller, under no compulsion to sell, and an informed, capable buyer, with a reasonable time allowed to consummate the sale, substantiated by a reasonable down or frill cash payment.

Rule 217 of the Property Tax Administrative Rules adopted by the Tax Commission provides that when assessing real property, the assessor shall consider the sales comparison approach, the cost approach, and the income approach. IDAPA 35.01.03.217.02. In addition, Idaho Code § 63-208

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Senator, Inc. v. Ada County, Board of Equalization
67 P.3d 45 (Idaho Supreme Court, 2003)

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Bluebook (online)
67 P.3d 45, 138 Idaho 566, 2003 Ida. LEXIS 49, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/senator-inc-v-ada-county-board-of-equalization-idaho-2003.