For those of you who do not already know, you can get on the Potsdam Town website and check to see all of the new 2013 assessed values in the Town of Potsdam. I saw where most went up $20,000 to $50,000 dollars, but others were substantially higher. Some home prices were not in line with others of same size. Some proportionately sized properties were re-assessed at a much larger rate. I would urge all of those who will fight the new assessment to either gather information on comparable homes or quickly get a new home appraisal done. If the appraisal is lower than the assessment, they have to go with the appraisal. Lastly, I want people to remember that although the town tax rate may go down, the county is looking at a double digit increase for next year and Potsdam Central School is looking at a 3.99 percent increase. Both will use these new assessments. I am sure both are already salivating on how they can spend all this extra money. We all need to take time and ask ourselves, “What do we actually get for all of the town and/or village, county and school taxes.” We need to remember this come election time and school budget time.