DAMAGES MAY MEAN TAX BREAK.Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer Property owners who suffered damage to their homes in the recent El Nino storms may qualify for a tax break if their total loss is $5,000 or more, county Assessor Kenneth P. Hahn said Monday. ``Nobody should pay more taxes than they should be paying,'' Hahn said. ``If the damage is more than $5,000 our appraiser A person selected or appointed by a competent authority or an interested party to evaluate the financial worth of property. Appraisers are frequently appointed in probate and condemnation proceedings and are also used by banks and real estate concerns to determine the market will go out and assess what the proper value should be.'' A provision in the state tax code allows property to be devalued de·val·ue also de·val·u·ate v. de·val·ued also de·valu·at·ed, de·val·u·ing also de·val·u·at·ing, de·val·ues also de·val·u·ates v.tr. 1. To lessen or cancel the value of. through misfortune or calamity. Anyone who might qualify should contact the nearest Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Assessor's Office as soon as possible for information and application forms. ``Property owners can send us some photos and get estimates for the damage when they complete their application,'' Hahn said. ``Unless there's a lot of damage, we might not go out to the site.'' State law requires the owners of properties damaged by storms to file applications and supporting documents within 60 days of the date the damage occurred. If a property is reassessed, it could mean a tax refund Tax refund Money back from the government when too much tax has been paid or withheld from a salary. on the damaged part of the property for the remainder of the tax year. Property owners may also qualify for a tax reduction for the next tax year or until the property is rebuilt or replaced. Los Angeles City Attorney The Los Angeles City Attorney is an elected official whose job is to prosecute all of the misdemeanor criminal offenses within the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. Jim Hahn issued a consumer alert Monday, warning homeowners with property damage to beware of home-repair con artists. ``I'm concerned people are going to get ripped off,'' he said. ``After these natural disasters these predators come out of the woodwork. They rush in from all over the country when they see El Nino on TV.'' The City Attorney's Office has opened nine cases involving unlicensed contractors working in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Following the Northridge Earthquake The Northridge earthquake occurred on January 17, 1994 at 4:31 AM Pacific Standard Time in the city of Los Angeles, California. The earthquake had a "strong" moment magnitude of 6. , the City Attorney's Office prosecuted more than 100 cases involving home repair schemes, with the most common violation being working without a contractor's license. CAPTION(S): box BOX: Los Angeles City Attorney Jim Hahn has issued a consumer-alert warning of con artists posing as legitimate contractors. In order to verify that building contractors are licensed, call the Contractors Licensing Board at (800) 321-2752. |
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