Joined Spokane County assessor’s office staff in 1963, rising to chief deputy assessor in 1992. That’s what you want: smaller, more effective government. Why not use this technology? Aerial photos will save more than a quarter of a million of your tax dollars every year. Similar photos are already available online. Since coming to the assessor’s office, I’ve reduced staff from 58 to 45, a 22 percent decrease, while greatly improving our quality of work. Using new technology to improve quality of work with fewer people and less expense is fundamental to our success as a nation. Why is aerial photography a good or bad idea in satisfying state regulations for assessing property values? You cannot improve things by leaving them the same. You now have one of the best assessor’s offices in our state. They have excellent facilities with good equipment and absolutely outstanding health, vacation, sick leave and retirement benefits. Assessor’s office union employees received a generous pay raise, no furloughs, and no layoffs. That worked.ĭo you believe morale in the assessor’s office should be a concern for voters? No. I eliminated it and placed appraisers’ direct phone numbers and e-mail contact information on assessment notices and on our website. What is your biggest mistake? Creating a menu-driven telephone-answering system during my first year in office in an attempt to better direct calls. With 7 million annual page views, public review of our work has greatly improved our accuracy and accountability. It’s pure open and transparent government. What is the best thing you have accomplished? The website at is my best accomplishment.
I’ve led this office from one of the worst in our state to one of the best. What is the biggest challenge facing this office?įairly and equitably appraising 228,000 property parcels worth more than $43 billion to accurately calculate the tax rates for 58 tax districts using an open and transparent process is a huge challenge. Former Spokane County chief deputy assessor. Air Force, 24 years, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. MBA, University of Northern Colorado.Ĭareer: U.S. in aviation management, University of Northern Louisiana.