BLITAR – Property tax reduction requests have risen significantly in Blitar City, with hundreds of residents asking authorities to revise tax assessments due to changes in the condition of their land and buildings.

Data from the Blitar City Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD) show that taxpayers submitted 326 applications related to Rural and Urban Land and Building Tax (PBB-P2) records by the end of May.

Most of the applications involved requests to reduce property tax values rather than transfer ownership records. The trend reflects growing public efforts to align tax obligations with the current condition of taxable properties.

Head of BPKAD Blitar City, Heru Eko Pramono, said 169 of the submitted applications concerned property tax reductions. Meanwhile, another 157 requests involved tax object mutations, which generally relate to ownership changes or updates to property records.

According to Heru, many residents filed requests because the physical condition of their land or buildings no longer matched the information recorded in the tax database.

In many cases, taxpayers argued that changes to their properties affected the taxable value used to calculate annual obligations. As a result, they requested adjustments to the Tax Object Sales Value, commonly known as NJOP.

“Most applications involve properties whose physical conditions have changed and therefore require reassessment,” Heru explained.

The agency has started reviewing each submission through administrative checks and field inspections. Officials use the verification process to confirm whether the actual condition of a property matches the information provided by the applicant.

BPKAD considers field verification an essential step before approving any adjustment. The process helps ensure that tax calculations accurately reflect real property values and current site conditions.

Authorities have already completed part of the review process. However, several applications still await verification by field officers.

Meanwhile, requests related to tax object mutations typically stem from property ownership transfers, inheritance settlements, sales transactions, or updates to taxpayer information.

Heru emphasized that residents have the right to request corrections when significant changes affect the value of their property. Such changes may include building renovations, structural damage, natural disasters, land-use changes, or other factors that alter market value.

The city government encourages taxpayers to submit supporting documents when requesting corrections or reductions. Complete documentation allows officers to process applications more efficiently and conduct accurate assessments.

“If there has been a change in the condition of a tax object, residents can certainly apply for an adjustment,” Heru said.

The growing number of applications highlights increasing public awareness of property tax administration in Blitar. Local authorities expect the verification process to ensure fair taxation while maintaining accurate and up-to-date property records throughout the city.