For the past two decades or so, as directed by state law, property tax appeals from many cities and towns have been funneled to New Britain Superior Court, to be weighed by several judge trial referees within the court’s so-called “tax and administrative appeals session.”
For the past two decades or so, as directed by state law, property tax appeals from many cities and towns have been funneled to New Britain Superior Court, to be weighed by several judge trial referees within the court’s so-called “tax and administrative appeals session.”
Municipal officials had long griped privately that one of those judge trial referees, George Levine, pressured and sometimes even bullied parties into settlements in pre-trial proceedings.
John Chaponis, assessor for the towns of Windham and Colchester and a longtime legislative committee member at the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers, filed a complaint against Levine in 2018 that led to a rare censure by the Judicial Review Council, for bias, intimidation, lack of judicial temperament and acting in a discourteous and undignified manner, according to the New Haven Register.
The censure was related to two incidents in which Levine had reportedly screamed at participants during an appeal, bringing one appraiser almost to tears, the Register reported.
Following the late 2018 censure, Levine retired last year, which has municipal and property-owner interests wondering how they might fare with appeals moving forward. However, some argue that desired changes to how appeals are handled should be enshrined into statute, rather than relying on the approach of a particular judge.
Levine couldn’t be reached for comment on this story.
Related article
Property tax appeals are costing Hartford, other munis big bucks. Now cities and towns want to reform the system
