John VanSanten Managing Director in Stout's Real Estate practice, provided expert testimony on the valuation of Memorial Hospital of York (a short-stay acute care hospital in York, PA), in association with a property tax assessment dispute with the local taxing authorities.

Judge Stephen P. Linebaugh of the Court of Common Pleas of York County, Pennsylvania presided over the trial, which was ultimately a “battle of experts.” In his decision, Judge Linebaugh indicated that “As stated, the court found John’s testimony and conclusions to be credible and (the opposing experts) not to be credible.”

The court’s decision reduced the assessed value of the hospital from $16,040,560 to $6,600,000 for the 2012 tax year and $5,700,000 and $4,800,000 for 2013 and 2014, respectively — all consistent with John's opinion of market value. This resulted in tax refunds of several hundred thousand dollars for the client.