special assessment

noun

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Definition of special assessment

: a specific tax levied on private property to meet the cost of public improvements that enhance the value of the property

Recent Examples of special assessment from the Web

Other possibilities include rental car fees, room taxes, special assessment districts for businesses, and emission fees.

— maria l. la ganga, idahostatesman, "Hey Boise: Salt Lake City has commuter rail, buses people use, and lessons for you," 10 June 2018
When his association levied a special assessment, a reader of this column was unhappy to learn he was charged 20 percent more than his upstairs neighbors.

— pamela dittmer mckuen, chicagotribune.com, "Have a condo? Pay attention to percentage ownership," 17 Oct. 2017
D’Souza was also sentenced to an eight-hour day of community service every week of the five-year term, weekly counseling, and was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine along with a $100 special assessment.

— Time, "President Trump Says He's Considering Commuting Rod Blagojevich's Sentence and Pardoning Martha Stewart," 31 May 2018
D’Souza was also sentenced to an eight-hour day of community service every week of the five-year term, weekly counseling, and was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine along with a $100 special assessment.

— darlene superville, BostonGlobe.com, "Trump mulls commuting Blagojevich’s term and pardoning Martha Stewart," 31 May 2018
There, mall tenants will pay the special assessments and benefit from better efficiency while the owner will recover the capital investment without renegotiating every lease.

— thomas jewell, cleveland.com, "Solon council keeps PACE with clean energy financing program," 11 Apr. 2018
Business improvement districts throughout Wisconsin raise money by collecting annual special assessments on commercial properties within their boundaries.

— tom daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Sun Fair on Milwaukee's Historic Mitchell Street canceled after state law reduces funds," 10 May 2018
Foxconn is to repay the village through a special assessment levied for the public improvements that will be installed.

— rick romell, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Judge dismisses lawsuit by Foxconn-area homeowners," 4 May 2018
The bonds are paid off using special assessments levied on the various property owners, which amounts to about $100,000 the city would also no longer have to pay each year.

— emily k. coleman, Lake County News-Sun, "Waukegan begins to rethink long-held vision of a casino on city-owned Fountain Square property," 4 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'special assessment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of special assessment

1875

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Law Dictionary

special assessment

noun

legal Definition of special assessment

: a specific tax levied on private property to meet the cost of public improvements that provide a special benefit enhancing the value of the property