The City of Fairfax is hiring a Personal Property Tax Specialist to support our community by ensuring accurate tax assessments, fair abatements, and reliable review of state income tax returns. This role contributes directly to the City’s commitment to transparent and efficient revenue administration.

This position is responsible for technical and administrative work in the assessment of personal property taxes, abatements, and examination of state income tax returns.

Responsibilities Include:
- Establishing the valuation of personal property for tax purposes
- Determining the liability of the taxpayer
- making abatements for erroneous assessments
- examining state tax returns for city residents.

Work is performed with independent judgment and action within the framework of applicable laws and regulations, though employees in this classification routinely verify one another’s assessment calculations to ensure accuracy. The position operates under the general supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Revenue and is subject to review through audit. This role involves significant public contact and requires professionalism, accuracy, and effective communication.

Processes DMV transactions to include title, registration, renewals, and address changes; verifies handicap plates and placards, processes surrendered plates to issue refunds, verifies sold dates or donated vehicles.

Enters and maintains personal property tax data; researches returned mail items for proper addressing; prints labels and files paperwork.

Reviews state income tax returns following detailed and complex guidelines; corrects mathematical errors and contacts taxpayers for clarification or additional supporting information.

Answer phones to include routing calls to the person requested and explaining to citizens how to register their cars and what documents they need to provide to remove their vehicles from the tax rolls.

Maintains information in PCI database regarding current addresses and vehicles.

Assesses vehicles that have not automatically been assessed by NADA.

Establishes the valuation of personal property for tax purposes in accordance with applicable laws and regulations; determines tax liability or exemptions based on the verification of residence, military status, and dates of ownership; reviews and collects pertinent information in applying the appropriate tax formula; and inputs information into appropriate databases to produce the appropriate tax records.

Assists taxpayers by telephone, correspondence, and personal interview with respect to a wide variety of simple and complex issues pertaining to personal property taxes, actual and estimated state income taxes, individual personal property assessments, exemptions, billing, abatements; on occasion contacts may be difficult and time consuming.

Receives complaints from taxpayers concerning assessments, determines abatements based on updated information supported by legal records or mathematical errors, and initiates refunds or credits.

Answers telephone, walk-in, and mail inquiries for city residents on state income tax questions and acts as a liaison between the taxpayer and the Virginia Department of Taxation.

Prepares state estimated tax vouchers; calculates taxes credited, paid, and/or amount due; verifies accuracy and completeness; and enters information into database for computerized printout of vouchers.

Reviews state income tax returns following detailed and complex guidelines; corrects mathematical errors and contacts taxpayers for clarification or additional supporting information.

May assist the Commissioner in preparing personal property tax reports and supplements, requiring detailed balancing of accounts, and ensuring accuracy of all personal property assessments made by the office.

Performs a variety of related duties, such as researching files for taxpayers to determine taxation liability; preparing bulk mailing; purging files; entering data into specific records systems; comparing data on printouts with source documents to detect errors; and attending professional seminars and meeting to remain abreast of federal and state tax revisions.

Performs related work as assigned.

The duties listed above are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Requires High School graduation or GED equivalent supplemented by specialized courses/training equivalent to completion of one year of college in office administration or closely related field.

Requires six months of clerical work or closely related experience.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Considerable knowledge of laws, regulations, and rules concerning assessment of personal property and other taxes and requirements of state income tax reporting.

Knowledge of the techniques used in the appraisal of personal property for tax purposes.

Knowledge of tax records and of tax collection procedures and methods.

Ability to maintain records and to develop office reports.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Additional Desirable Qualification:

Two years experience in clerical office work; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the following necessary knowledge, abilities, and skills.

Special Certifications and Licenses:

Requires the following certifications: Department of taxation certification, DMV security awareness training certification, FEMA emergency management certification.

Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

City of Fairfax

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Tax Technician