Horton said her office is waiting for one of the county’s contractors, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters, to develop technology that would allow appraisers to work offline, then automatically upload data when an internet connection becomes available.It is the purpose and role of the Assessor's office to establish Fair Market Value for all property in Grant County for tax purposes. “Without a Wi-Fi connection it does no good in terms of time-saving or production.” “They suggested that we try (the tablets) to help with the workload, but we told them that’s not a viable option,” Horton said.Īppraisers would need to be trained on a special software, and the tablets would require a stable internet connection in rural areas, she said. She said she communicated with them through Gerry Gemmill, the county’s chief executive officer. Horton disputed that, saying she hasn’t spoken about the tablets with any of the commissioners directly. “We’ve done what we can to try to help,” he said. In fact, I’m very proud of the fact that we keep our labor costs under control.”įrench said the commissioners offered Horton a piece of the county’s IT budget to pay for tablets that appraisers could use in the field, but Horton didn’t take advantage of the offer.įrench said the tablets would eliminate the step of driving back to the Assessor’s Office to input appraisal information, increasing productivity. “We follow the market we don’t lead the market in terms of pay,” he said. He noted that most of the recent vacancies have been filled.
SPOKANE COUNTY ASSESSOR EFILE PERSONAL PROPERTY FULL
The 19 appraisers who worked the full year earned, on average, nearly $4,100 in overtime pay.Ĭounty commissioners are responsible for approving or rejecting contracts for county employees, including wages and benefits.Ĭommissioner Al French said the issue of appraiser salaries was discussed earlier this year, but he does not see an urgent need for raises. Meanwhile, Spokane County’s 25 property appraisers had an average base salary of $46,245 last year, according to county salary data. In Washington, mean wages topped $61,000. Last year, the average appraiser in the United States earned about $58,000, the bureau says. Local governments across the country pay their real estate appraisers significantly less than private employers, according to the U.S. “Refilling all of those positions when the real estate market is so hot has been difficult.” “Having that many appraisers leave in one year is not typical,” he said. “We have been on time, and our office has been touted by the Department of Revenue for how well it’s been run,” Horton said.īyron Hodgson, the chief deputy assessor, said the recent retirements posed an unusual challenge. She said the office has completed its valuations on time for at least the past decade. Horton, a Republican, joined the Assessor’s Office as an appraiser in 2000 and won her first election to lead the office in 2010.
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“They knew where the problem was they just didn’t have enough hands,” Crichfield said. It’s now working on residential valuations and new construction appraisals simultaneously. Horton’s office notified the department of its staffing issue in February. “Financial penalties really only hurt county administrations and taxpayers,” she said.
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The Department of Revenue doesn’t have the authority to fine counties that miss deadlines, said Beverly Crichfield, an agency spokeswoman. Owners will then have 30 days to file appeals. Horton said this year’s valuations won’t be mailed to property owners until October. Taxing jurisdictions also must have sufficient time to calculate levy rates. The deadline is part of a schedule set by the state Department of Revenue, but courts have ruled that the schedule isn’t binding as long as property owners have enough time to appeal valuations.
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The office is tasked with revaluing real estate every year and conducting site inspections every six years. The setbacks caused the Assessor’s Office to miss a May 31 deadline for completing property assessments. “We have three out-of-staters who have to learn all kinds of new rules and regulations,” she said.
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The office recently filled seven of eight vacancies, but three of the new hires are trainees, and three came from out of state, Horton said. Property valuations will be more than four months late this year because of a staffing shortage in the Spokane County Assessor’s Office.Īssessor Vicki Horton said her office saw six appraisers retire last year, taking with them decades of experience and familiarity with Washington rules and regulations.Īnd refilling those positions has proved difficult because county appraiser salaries haven’t kept pace with those in the private sector, Horton said, calling the pay gap “significant.”Īt full staff, the Assessor’s Office has 43 employees, including 14 residential, eight commercial and three personal property appraisers.