Baltimore, MD – Marie C. Smith has been appointed as State Tax Sale Ombudsman at the Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). Marie brings a valuable combination of broad technical knowledge, strategic relationships, and diverse experience and leadership to this important role.
“Marie’s combination of exceptional knowledge of property tax assessment and a history of working with homeowners will provide outstanding service to those homeowners who most need assistance to remain in their homes.” said Dan Phillips, Director of SDAT
As Ombudsman, Marie will oversee SDAT’s office that provides information, resources and assistance to Maryland homeowners struggling to pay their property tax bills. She will manage the Homeowner Protection Program, which provides loans and individualized assistance to homeowners in tax sale. She will also conduct the Annual Tax Sale Survey of the counties, produce the Annual Tax Sale Report for the legislature, and collaborate with SDAT’s Tax Credits division, partner agencies, and stakeholders in each county to foster housing security, preserve homeownership, and create generational wealth.
Marie has been the Supervisor of Assessments for Baltimore City since 2011, where she managed a team of over 40 professionals and oversaw the assessment of over 70,000 properties each year. Marie has held various assessor and supervisory positions in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County during her career at SDAT. Her technical expertise in property assessment, as well as tax credits, tax sale, property taxes, and county finance office operations provide much needed tools to help homeowners struggling to pay their bills. Marie also has extensive relationships with state and local lawmakers, partner agencies and service providers, and community advocates and counselors.
Prior to SDAT, Marie served as a Lease Acquisition Specialist in the Maryland Department of General Services Real Estate Division, and has over 15 years of public and private real estate experience in and around Boston.
Marie has an MS in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and a BS in Business Management from the University of Massachusetts. She holds a Certified Residential Appraisal License in Maryland, and has completed multiple courses toward an Appraisal Institute MAI designation.
About SDAT: The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (also known as the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, or SDAT) is a customer-focused agency that works to ensure property is accurately assessed, business records are appropriately maintained, and necessary tax-related information is conveyed to state agencies and local jurisdictions. The Department’s responsibilities can generally be split into three main areas: Business Services, Real Property Valuation and Property Tax Credits.
For more information, visit https://dat.maryland.gov/
