Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A local-improvement assessment is a type of tax that is charged to property owners who will benefit from improvements made in a designated area, such as sidewalks or sewage lines. It is different from a general tax because it is only levied on properties that will receive a special benefit from the improvement. Other types of assessments include special assessments, which are taxes charged on property that benefits from a public improvement, and frontage assessments, which are municipal taxes charged to property owners for improvements that abut a street or highway.
A local-improvement assessment is a tax levied on property owners who will benefit from improvements in a designated area, such as sewers and sidewalks. This tax is used to pay for the improvements and is different from a general tax because it is only levied on properties that will receive a special benefit from the improvements.
For example, if a city decides to install new sidewalks in a neighborhood, the cost of the project may be divided among the property owners in the area. Each property owner would be assessed a certain amount based on the size and value of their property. This assessment would be used to pay for the installation of the new sidewalks.
Another example of a local-improvement assessment is a frontage assessment. This is a municipal tax charged to a property owner for local improvements that abut a street or highway, such as sidewalks, pavements, or sewage lines. The property owner is assessed based on the amount of frontage they have along the street or highway.
Overall, local-improvement assessments are a way for municipalities to fund improvements that benefit specific areas or properties. They are different from general taxes because they are only levied on properties that will receive a special benefit from the improvements.