January 11, 2021 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Tax Webinar-Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Tax Assessments and Tax Assessment Appeals
Speaker: Drew Aldinger, Amy Galer, Chip Hughes & James Aros
Faculty members include the interim Chief Assessment Officer for the City of Philadelphia, a certified general appraiser that is a leader in the real estate appraisal industry, and attorneys who both defend assessment appeals and counsel Philadelphia’s Office of Property Assessment in issues related to the assessment process. Topics to be discussed include: (1) impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on assessment offices and the assessment process, (2) impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on real estate tax assessment appeals, (3) impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on real estate values, and (4) anticipated long term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic as we move forward.
Speaker: Drew Aldinger, Amy Galer, Chip Hughes & James Aros
Drew Aldinger is a Chief Deputy City Solicitor with the City of Philadelphia Law Department. Drew leads the Property Assessment Unit in the counseling of the Office of Property Assessment and in defending appeals before the Board of Revision of Taxes. Drew joined the Law Department in 2011 as a senior attorney and became Chief Deputy of the Property Assessment Unit in 2017. Before joining the Law Department, Drew worked at a law firm for 13 years, focusing on the collection of delinquent real estate taxes and prosecuting civil tax foreclosure actions. Drew graduated from The George Washington University Law School with honors and graduated with an accounting degree from Penn State.
Amy Galer is a Deputy City Solicitor in the Property Assessment Unit of the Philadelphia Law Department. She defends property tax assessment appeals before the Board of Revision of Taxes, in addition to providing counsel to the Office of Property Assessment on a variety of issues, including non-profit exemptions. Prior to her employment with the City of Philadelphia, Amy was an attorney with a firm in Philadelphia. She is a graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law and Boston University.
Chip Hughes is a leader in the real estate appraisal industry, actively engaged in valuation and consulting services throughout the Northeastern United States, for over 35 years. He is responsible for the preparation and review of full narrative and form appraisal reports for both corporate and private clients. Mr. Hughes’ expertise includes extensive experience in all commercial property types including office buildings, retail centers/malls, industrial buildings, apartment complexes, LIHTC, subdivisions, land, recreational, healthcare, student housing, and special use properties such as churches and schools. Mr. Hughes’ comprehensive range of consulting services include highest and best use analysis, feasibility studies, purchase and disposition analysis, tax analysis, estate portfolios, as well as litigation support and expert witness testimony. Working very closely with his fellow IRR offices, Mr. Hughes provides national portfolio services for small and large organizations. Teaching is a passion for Mr. Hughes who manages and mentors his team of industry analysts. He is an approved instructor at several professional organizations where he brings engaging and informative real-world experiences into the classroom. Prior to joining Integra Realty Resources Mr. Hughes held several prominent positions in the real estate industry. In 1993, Mr. Hughes co-founded A.R. Hughes and Company, based in Philadelphia, PA. Prior to moving to the Philadelphia area, Mr. Hughes co-founded RCDH and Company of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD (1990-1993). He was previously employed with a national real estate appraisal firm, holding various consultant and managerial positions in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions (1985-1990). In 1982 Mr. Hughes started his career as a Lending Officer, in the Financial Institutions Banking Divisions of the Irving Trust Company (currently known as Bank of New York). He was responsible for lending and account maintenance for Banks, Insurance Companies, and Finance Companies with $1 million to over $50 billion in total assets.
James Aros currently serves as the Interim Chief Assessment Officer for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Property Assessment. James has been working with property assessments in Philadelphia since 2004 and has served in his current role since January 2020. He holds the Certified Pennsylvania Evaluator designation and is a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO). James received a Bachelor of Arts degree from La Salle University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Villanova University.