The board of assessment appeals may reduce the assessment of any person as reflected on the grand list by reducing the valuation, number, quantity or amount of any item of estate therein, or by deleting any item which ought not to be retained in it, provided any such reduction or deletion shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting of said board. The board of assessment appeals shall not reduce the valuation or assessment of property on the grand list belonging to any person who does not appear at a hearing before the board of assessment appeals, either in person or by such person's attorney or agent, and offer or consent to be sworn before it and answer all questions touching such person's taxable property situated in the town.

(1949 Rev., S. 1796; 1959, P.A. 436; February, 1965, P.A. 18; P.A. 79-17, S. 1, 3; P.A. 95-283, S. 52, 68; P.A. 99-189, S. 13, 20; P.A. 00-120, S. 7, 13.)

History: 1959 act eliminated distinction between residents and nonresidents as to appearing before board; 1965 act added reference to “consent” to be sworn; P.A. 79-17 substituted deletion of item for erasure and specified how reductions and deletions to be marked on list, effective April 3, 1979, and applicable to assessment list in any town for 1979 and any assessment list thereafter; P.A. 95-283 changed name of board of tax review to board of assessment appeals, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 99-189 made technical changes and clarified when the board of assessment appeals can reduce the assessment of a taxpayer, effective June 23, 1999, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1999; P.A. 00-120 eliminated provision specifying how a reduction or deletion is to be made and specified that a reduction or deletion is to be recorded in the minutes, effective May 26, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing October 1, 2000.

Adding property to list of one taxpayer not invalidated by fact that it is erased from list of another who did not appear. 75 C. 597. Appeal from refusal of board to take off ten per cent added by assessors upheld though appellant did not appear. 77 C. 108. Purpose of statute; board may adjourn to house of taxpayer who is ill; deputing one member to examine taxpayer. 90 C. 154. Actual appearance in person before board is contemplated. 103 C. 156. Cited. 146 C. 165; 158 C. 146; 240 C. 192.

Cited. 29 CA 97.

Failure of appellant from board of relief to appear and be sworn before board not sufficient to prevent hearing on appeal; may affect relief by court. 2 CS 142.