The Department of Assessment is the lifeblood of the City. It is responsible for the valuation of all the real property (real estate) and is managed by a Commissioner/Assessor who is assisted by a Deputy and two clerks. More than fifty percent of the City's revenue is derived by the work of this department.

The Commissioner inspects all the real estate in the City for tax purposes and places a value, or assessment, on each piece of property that when multiplied by the tax rate produces that property's real estate tax.

This department also is responsible for granting various exemptions from taxes; churches, senior citizen, veterans, and STAR to name a few. Over ten thousand applications are submitted and reviewed annually.

Since the City's inception in 1892, the Department of Assessment has filed and maintained all property deeds. It is in this office that the City's tax maps are maintained and updated on a monthly basis. Current and historical information about every house, building, park and vacant lot is kept in this department's archives.